


The Bandit and The Lady

by RoyalBlueRoses



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: BAMF Sesshoumaru (InuYasha), Demon/Human Relationships, F/M, Inspired by InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Inu Youkai (InuYasha), References to InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:34:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 35,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23351047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoyalBlueRoses/pseuds/RoyalBlueRoses
Summary: What if: Onigumo met Kikyo earlier and avoided the tragedy that befell them as we all know it? InuYasha is suspicious of the bandit that has captivated Kikyo, can he regain her affection, or will his jealousy be his downfall that changes everyone's fate? Can one woman cause the half-demon to make desperate measures, or is all doomed for tragedy? Love Triangle. Narakik/Inukik.We cannot grant dark wishes where purity presides.
Relationships: Kikyou/Onigumo (InuYasha)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Inuyasha, all rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz media.

**The Bandit And The Lady -**

**Romance/Drama/Fantasy/Action**

**Rated T for now, will go up later most likely for sexual content, violence.**

**Main Char: Kikyo, Onigumo, InuYasha**

Kaede, Sesshomaru(?)

_This story takes place before the events in InuYasha. This is not an AU, more like a, What If? What if Onigumo met Kikyo before he was burned, as well as before Kikyo asked InuYasha to live as mortal man and wife? This is their story, where Onigumo has the chance to properly introduce himself to Kikyo and vy for her affections, instead of the terrible fate they all suffered previously. The question is, how will InuYasha react to this imposter? Can he keep grasp on Kikyo's heart, or does another tempt the flow of time to change? Does true darkness reside in the soul of the half-yokai?_

* * *

  
Kikyo took a deep breath of the dewy, late summer air, as she knelt to pluck herbs and lay them down in the basket. She smiled, as she held a sprig of lavender and twirled it around, then ran it under her nose and closed her eyes, as she enjoyed the sweet fragrance, then that too she laid in the basket.

Not far away, a red clothed figure perched in a tree, intently watching her with his hands between his haunches, his nose twitching at the fragrant scent that was offensive to his sensitive olfaction. InuYasha snorted and kicked behind his ear to loose a gnawing flea, before perking up his ears to hear a low din in the distance steadily approaching.

The red and white daubed miko drifted across the field, a sight of beauty for any to behold as her long raven hair caught on the breeze and fluttered. Kikyo laughed, airly tilting her head back and hiding her giddy expression daintily with one hand as the breeze played with her hair wildly, tangling with her long white sleeves, making the fabric snap and crack on the air that was suddenly chilled with an icy breeze.

The din grew louder as the band turned the curve, and a man with the carven depiction of a dragon for his helm caught his eyes on the bright red of her hakama, the long strands of her hair twirling as they threatened to loose themselves of their restraints, and splay across her back.

Kikyo stiffened, quieting as she heard the rumbling of hooves and the clinking of armor. The bandit army made its way quickly down the path towards the village, causing the very ground beneath her to shake. She dropped her basket, suddenly on high alert as she pulled the red painted longbow from her back, and readied an arrow on the army making a turn directly towards her.

_"Halt!"_ She ordered, stepping forward once threateningly as they continued their barrelling pace, then there was a twang in the air as she loosed an arrow past the chieftain's helm and it stuck hard in a nearby tree, with a loud _thwak!_ As the sheer force of the blow shook leaves from the tree branches.

"You there! What business do you have in our village? I assure you, you will find nothing worth pillaging. This is a peaceful settlement. _Please leave!"_ She shouted, and readied another arrow. The samurai atop his horse held one hand out in submission, and Kikyo lowered her sight on him, just slightly as he jumped down from his large, black horse.

Kikyo grit her teeth and held her stance at the ready as the man straightened and towered before her, his black and gold painted armour like a dark, all-consuming void in the brightly lit sunshine. He raised his gauntlets, then removed the intimidating helm of a snarling dragon to speak properly with her. His long, black hair fell out and cascaded onto his shoulders, half of it was held back in a half knot, with small crinkled bangs. 

"Lady Priestess, I assure you, we present no threat to your village." The man said cooly, his dark russet brown eyes settling on hers. They were illuminated with an odd, warm sanguine hue in the sunlight; beneath lilac eye coloring, that made Kikyo's heart beat rapidly in her chest as she met the gaze of the strangely beautiful man.

"Oi! You, she _said_ get away! This town ain't for bandit types like you!" The hanyou with silver hair spat, raising one hand with sharp tipped nails threateningly as he sneered at the man. The bandit chieftain simply nodded, with a barely perceptible smile, as he knelt and placed the helm down on the ground before him, before reaching around his waist to pull out a long katana, with a high intonation.

"Surely, if we surrendered our weapons, we may be permitted to stay at your inn for a meal, and some much needed rest? We will pay you handsomely." He said, his soft voice not betraying his humble plea. Kikyo's bow lowered as the men began loosening their swords and dropping them to the ground. The chieftain pulled a satchel out from his waist belt and tossed it to Inuyasha's bare feet, with a soft chuckle.

"Here, have some coins for your trouble."

_"Feh!_ I don't need your stinkin' blood money!" InuYasha snarled, and kicked it away. The coins spilled out, and he quirked a small amount when he felt Kikyo's reproachful glare settle onto him.

"InuYasha! These men have been nothing if not kind. Without their weapons, they are simply, _just men._ You have nothing to fear." She admonished softly, before kneeling to gather the coins into the pocket of her hakama pants.

"...If you will not accept his gracious offer, I'm sure the sickly children, and the elderly will appreciate the tinctures I will be able to afford for them now." She said, gulping down a small lump of sorrow in her throat.

"Listen to the Miko, half-breed. She is wise beyond her years. She knows the value of a coin, unlike a **mongrel** that walks barefoot on the filthy sod and soils any place he steps." The man said with a low seething voice, then grinned and turned his attention onto Kikyo as she picked up the coins. He squatted down, and began to assist her, kindly.

InuYasha growled and stepped forward, unsheathing his claws. Kikyo gasped as the man's fingers touched hers just barely to pick up the same coin. He held it between two fingers and smiled at her sweetly, as it was displayed just before her face, the small diamond cut out like a window between them.

"Be my guest, and treat yourself to the finest linens these coins can buy. A delicate beauty such as yourself deserves only the finest silks." He whispered, causing Kikyo's cheeks to redden with embarrassment as she backed away, stumbling as she regained her balance. InuYasha stepped before her protectively and snatched the coin away.

_"Alright!_ Leave your flimsy weapons behind! You can have them back once you leave this town. But If I hear a single villager cry out, or a single hair on Kikyo's head is disturbed, it'll be my claws in your belly!" He growled, and the man stood, and bowed apologetically.

"Understood. My, what a feisty guard dog you have here. We shall be on our way, then. I'll personally see to it that my men cause no harm to your village. We are the survivors of a long battle, while we may have stained our swords with blood, our hearts are full with good intent. We only wish to return to our wives and children, and finally find rest from war."

Kikyo nodded, pushing past InuYasha. She took the sword carefully from the man's hands and bowed her head.

"My apologies, for my friend. We have to be extra vigilant in these times, I hastily assumed you to be a bandit, and I fear was wrong...? I am sorry to hear of your troubles. Have you a home, a family to return to?" She asked softly, looking up as he stepped forward once and looked down on her.

"I did, once. But, that was all taken from me. My wife, our unborn child. Yet, that was very long ago. The house of Onigumo bears no heir." He said, softly, his narrow brows creasing together. Kikyo gazed up at him and sympathized, feeling the familiar sense of the need to cure an ailment; whether physical, or metaphorical.

"Onigumo, eh? You are of royal blood? My deepest sorrows. I am Lady Kikyo, the Protector of this village. My companion, InuYasha, shall carry your weapons to safety."

"Royal blood, my butt! He smells of blood and dirt, like nothing but a filthy vagrant. Don't be fooled by his fancy armor, and his shiny coins!" InuYasha retorted quickly, then was hit with the weight of the sword as Kikyo laid it across his arms and glared at him.

"Don't be rude!" She hissed, before picking up her basket of herbs, and returning to direct the men to the village on foot. Onigumo held the reins a moment, then paused, before offering them to her.

"Here. Take a rest from your duties a moment, I can walk. I have ridden for many days, and I could use a good brisk walk to stretch my legs." He said, and Kikyo nodded, stepping up onto the saddle of the high horse shakily. Onigumo caught her hand before she could fall and wrapped one arm around her waist to assist her in lifting her onto the saddle.

The pale priestess blushed, and whispered a breathless thank you, before cracking the bridle and riding past quickly, down the hill to the village so that the men could follow. InuYasha snarled lowly at the man's back as Onigumo picked his helm up off the ground and held it under one arm, watching her ride down the hill with a wistful expression.

"Hn. Don't think I didn't see that, 'Onigumo.' Kikyo is a strong girl. She doesn't need any help. You keep your paws offa' her, you got that?"

Onigumo simply smirked at InuYasha, before placing his heavy helmet into the the short half-demon's arms, then patting it.

"Got it, and you can _keep_ those velveteen ears flattened to your mane, I will not make nary a woman cry out... That is, if she does not _wish_ me to." He said slyly, and winked before turning, making his way swiftly down the hill. InuYasha mocked him under his breath and quickly picked up the swords, gagging at the heavy scent of blood that was heavily ingrained into the steel.


	2. Desires Deep as Blood

Kaede sat across her sister, looking down at the pot of miso stew bubbling between them, then up as the ground shaking made the broth quiver.

"Sister...?" She said softly, watching Kikyo take a ladle and stir, then taste the broth and hum thoughtfully. She seemed utterly calm, as she normally did, as she took a pinch of herbs and sprinkled them into the broth, the steam curling up before her lovely, pale visage.

"Yes, Kaede?" Kikyo said sweetly, sitting back as she filled two wooden bowls for them both.

"Why...Why did you allow the soldiers to camp here...? Are they not bandits?" She asked timidly, taking the bowl. Kikyo smiled at Kaede and looked to the straw thatch door, where beneath they could see the camp fires burning, the shaking from men either sparring, or dancing and courting with the young village women that had come to greet the soldiers.

" 'Bandits, soldiers, fugitives'..." Kikyo mused, looking out the window with a wistful smirk, then back at Kaede.

"All I see are men, victims of war... There be much worse than simple _men_ to fear, Kaede." She said, her smile fading.

"You mean... like InuYasha...?" Kaede asked, feeling nervous even at saying the name, as she gulped down the hot miso. Kikyo took a spoonful, looking oddly up at the ceiling. Kaede looked up as well, wondering what could be so interesting that her sister was distracted, the spoon stuck in her mouth before she looked down and removed it.

"Oh, InuYasha!" She scolded, with a shake of her head, then snickered. Kaede looked on, perplexed.

"Don't fear him just because he's half-yokai. He has managed to retain his humanity, unlike some." She said, then stood and peeked out the door, up at the roof.

"Get down from there!" She hissed, then she picked up a rock and pelted it, and soon after there was a garbled yelp, and Kaede's eyes widened as the hanyou rolled off the roof and onto the ground before Kikyo. The normally gentle priestess took grasp of his pointed ear and pinched it, tossing him indoors quickly.

"Demon! A demon in our house!" Kaede shrieked, and the red garbed boy flipped around, rubbing his ear with a growl of indignation.

"Whaddya gotta be so rough for, Kikyo?!" He groused, before sitting down besides the fire, crosslegged. Kaede backed up and hunched to the wall, shivering as Kikyo closed the door, laughing. She looked over to her sister, bewildered.

"Don't be scared, Kaede! Come, say hello." Kikyo said soothingly, sitting beside InuYasha, spooning out a bowl for him to eat. The silver-haired boy looked on curiously, his nose pricking as he sniffed the steam coming from the bowl.

"What's that?" He said, balking a small amount as she placed it into his hands. Kaede's eyes widened as she noticed how his fingers were tipped by deadly claws.

"This is a nourishing broth, with meat and vegetables. Here." Kikyo handed him a spoon and he took it in his fist and stabbed at it. Kaede sat up, looking at him curiously. Kikyo put her hand over his and showed him the proper way to hold it, and he nodded to thank her, his cheeks reddening as he popped the spoon in his mouth. Kaede crawled over slightly closer, watching with interest as the demon boy began to devour the stew with gusto, so fully focused on it that he didn't even notice her crawling over, then reaching up to clasp his ear.

"It's... soft!" She said, and rubbed it.

"Hey! Paws off!" InuYasha growled, showing her his pointed canines. Kikyo laughed at the exchange and batted him on his shoulder, and Kaede watched, baffled as this caused him to blush again, and set the bowl down, bowing gratefully.

"Thank you for the delicious meal." He said, and bowed again before standing. Kikyo looked up as he made his way out, then back to Kaede and smiled.

"I'll be back. Be a good girl and stay in the house, Kaede." Kikyo said, and Kaede nodded quickly, sitting up as she watched her sister follow the strange demon boy out the door.

The thatch door closed behind them, and InuYasha darted back up onto the roof, making himself comfortable there. He laid on his side, licking his claws clean where some flavor from the soup was left over.

"InuYasha, do you plan on sleeping there?" Kikyo said, her hands on her hips.

"Feh. I'm just relaxing a minute, then I'll be off. I can't stand the stench of those bandits, stinkin' up the whole village." He said, looking away from her and instead at the dark starry sky.

"Alright. Do you mind staying there until I return?" She said, and he made a barely discernible shrug. Kikyo thanked him and sighed, walking away from her home and down the hill towards the center of the village. The men camping out were clustered all about, shouting and drinking loudly. Kikyo diverted her eyes quickly, hurrying past, back to the temple.

The street darkened as she made her way, grass sprouted up in the walk way where there was a beaten path that only she used, up to the steps of the old temple, darkened until nearly indiscernible against the night sky.

Kikyo lifted the skirts of her hakama and made her way up the stairs, then fished the key out from her robes that hung on a red string. She unlocked the door, looking back a cautiously a moment before opening it. There, in the darkness was a glittering wisteria hued glow, where on the shrine the Shikon Jewel rested safely on it's cushion. Kikyo stepped up onto the altar and came closer to the shrine, picking up the jewel carefully then holding it in both hands. She knelt and said a prayer, holding it to her chest for a few long moments that seemed like a century as she drowned out all noise, and closed her eyes. Kikyo clapped her hands as she finished praying.

"How beautiful." A voice uttered from her silent reverie, and Kikyo opened her eyes, turning quickly to the source of the sound. It was him, the Bandit Chieftain- No, Onigumo. Kikyo took a sharp inhale of breath and stood, clutching the jewel to her chest.

"You're not supposed to be in here. This is a Sacred Temple!" She hissed, in a threatening whisper. Kikyo backed up to the altar and watched him warily as she stroked his hand down a rotted wood pillar, darkened black by age.

"This place, it's falling apart." He said, pulling his hand back and brushing it off on his hakama pants. Kikyo gulped, observing how he now wore a light lilac colored robe with embroidered feathers, a white hakama beneath that. Onigumo crossed his arms and smiled, looking all around at the old building.

"...Aye. It's ancient. My family has watched over this village for many years." Kikyo finally managed to whisper, seeing that he didn't intend to cause her any harm. His eyes returned to gaze on her, and Kikyo tucked the jewel into her pocket quickly before he could see.

"I'm afraid I don't understand, what exactly are you protecting it _from_ , Lady Priestess?" He said curiously, stepping up onto the altar and looking around, squinting his eyes. Kikyo found a candle and lit it, leading him away from the empty shrine before he could question, and towards the back of the temple, where she lit many other candles, and washed the room in a soft light, before sitting down on her prayer mat, folding her legs beneath her primly.

"You may sit." She said, and gestured across from her. Onigumo looked down and saw the floor was clean, the wood scrubbed so diligently that it was glossy and smooth, and a small red mat was there to soften the floor as he swept his robes out around him and sat across from her. He looked her directly in the eye and smiled, before Kikyo pulled a large scroll out from beside her and opened it between them.

Kikyo trailed her finger across the paper, where there was lines of kanji, then paintings illustrating the text.

"Yokai. You are familiar with them?"

He nodded, and watched as Kikyo showed him what she was reading.

"Beings that take an unnatural form, with animalistic features at times. To seem unsuspecting they may wear a appealing guise to fool humans into thinking they are tame, then lash out and feast upon their blood and flesh. Others, are large and menacing, even resembling humans, people you may have known in order to gain your sympathy. Watch them closely, be always on guard for even the slightest changes in your loved ones. Yokai are deceptive, and cruel." She read, and he leaned in closer to inspect the picture of a priestess, firing an arrow at a dragon-like creature.

"Yes, I've heard tales of these creatures. I know them well. I have encountered many yokai in my journeys. They are not to be trusted." He said, then touched the paper, stroking the pale face painted onto it of the priestess.

"How long have you served this village, Lady...?"

"Kikyo. You may call me Kikyo. I have served since I became of age, once a child turns thirteen they may join the priesthood."

"So young...but you are.. so.." He said, pulling his finger back and rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Kikyo rolled up the scroll and smiled sheepishly at him.

"So fair? It matters not. I will die a spinster. That is my duty." She said, and laughed bitterly, as he looked on and furrowed his brows.

"Lady Kikyo, I do not wish to offend you, but... you should not think of yourself so little. Haven't you ever wished to be free from your duties?" He said, urging her with those russet eyes aflame in the candlelight. Kikyo's heart skipped a beat as she looked away from his gaze and wrung her hands in her lap.

"But if I... Were so selfish, then all these kind people would suffer. So I must pray. And heal the sick, protect them from the demons that lurk, preying on the blood of small children..." She said, with a shuddering sigh.

"No. It shouldn't be such. My lady, while I am here, you shall have a reprieve from those duties. I promise. My men will slay any demon that comes near. They are highly skilled warriors." He said quickly, standing. He grasped Kikyo's hand and she gasped as he pulled her to her feet. Kikyo pulled back, resisting.

"I cannot let you do that! Onigumo, it is not your place! I could not ask a stranger, a man whom I've only known mere minutes to protect the village my family has cared for, for generations! You simply could not understand!" She cried out, and pulled her hand free. Kikyo winced, turning away as Onigumo stood, hovering behind her, attempting to find the words to say.

"I understand more than you know, Kikyo." He said, and she lowered her head, clutching her hand to her chest to calm her rapidly pounding heart.

" _My_ wife, _my_ child... What I **thought** , was my child... Was in fact, the spawn, of a demon." He said softly, and Kikyo turned quickly, her eyes widening with shock.

"Yes. She was smitten with a half-youkai man, while I was battling to protect our country from invaders, she had been bedded by a beast... Aye, he was comely to her. Like you said, he came to her; deceptively kind, with shining red eyes. Devilishly beautiful, every word a silken whisper...He defiled her. _My wife._ " Onigumo said in a near whisper, staring down at the floor. He opened his mouth to continue and Kikyo gripped his hands with hers and shook her head vigorously.

"Don't say it! Not here. Not in this holy place... Onigumo, what a terrible fate you must have suffered." She said, and squeezed his cold hands in hers. A small smile formed on his face and he laughed softly.

"Not I. He. For when I came home, and she had bore the foul beast, it had already feasted on her innards. Half human, and yet in those crimson eyes all I saw was a beast. I slayed it with my blade, then, I tracked down the foul beasts predecessor, to where it had taken up residence in the nearby brothel, taking part in it's share of the town's rice liquor and women. There, I beheaded it. The only way to _truly_ slay a beast like that. It was that, or remove it's beating heart..." He whispered, and dropped Kikyo's hands, turning away to leave the temple.

"Onigumo, I... I am so sorry to hear your story. How it must haunt ye to this day. Terrible... And yet you say, you're sure he was a hanyou...?" She said softly, hoping not to offend him as she placed one hand on his shoulder, tentatively. Onigumo turned his cheek and eyed her carefully.

"Yes. Half-Demon. Like that boy you were idly talking to in the field; as if he were nothing but a _tamed_ pet. You'd be wise to keep your chastity secure in the presence of foul demons, my Lady."

Kikyo quivered at his words, appalled that he would think she could possibly do such a thing. She _had_ tamed him though, at least partially, as Onigumo had said. But it was unclean to think such things, as a miko, to cross-breed with a hanyou...

She retracted her hand and gasped, covering her mouth.

"I apologize if I've offended you, but I cannot help but be wary of such a beast. You, a priestess who is sworn to protect this village from youkai, and yet you **flirt** with **destruction**." Onigumo snapped, facing her.

His eyes burned fiercely with his animosity towards all demonkind, and Kikyo lowered her head and stifled out a sob. "I- I am but a fool. Forgive me. To think that such a beast could be tamed! But you must see for yourself, truly! InuYasha is **not** like those other yokai!" She said, and shook her head, a tear trickling down her cheek. Onigumo gave her a small smirk, as if pitying her as he reached to stroke her cheek, drying the tears as he clasped her gently by the chin and looked down at her, his eyes softening.

"It's already too late to save you. You've already been deceived. It's such a pity, to lose such a fair, pure beauty as yourself...But know this. Death. Destruction. That is what will come of your joining with an Inu-Yokai." He said huskily, then released her, and walked away, leaving Kikyo to stare at his back, tears making glistening trails down her cheeks, as the door closed and she fell to her knees, sobbing.

~o•O•o~

Onigumo returned to camp, a tight grimace on his face as he left the Priestess in the Temple. He'd hated the way her eyes filled with tears once he'd warned her of what would come of her playing with the demon, but what those tears told him is that she'd already had her heart won, to react in such a way.

_Are all women so weak? Even a priestess is weak to the charms of a lowly inu-yokai?_

He scoffed, returning to the inn where he resided, alone. He slid open the door and was greeted by emptiness, in the dark, candlelit room, a meal set out on a low table was still steaming in wait for him. Onigumo removed the outer layer of his robes and set it on his futon, before sitting to eat his meal. He folded his legs under him and picked up the meager bowl of rice with pickled vegetables before he ate the grilled pork, pinching his food between his chopsticks then pausing to taste it, as he stared down at the lines in the wood floor.

_"Onigumo! You cannot enter, the lady is not well!" He shoved him aside, "Where is my wife? Where is she!?"_

_"Reika! Reika!" He heard her shrill scream, then a splash as the demon child tore it's way free from her womb._

_"Bastard! The bastard's spawn!" He swore, pulling out his sword._

_"O-Onigumo...I...I'm so sorry..." She whispered, before falling limp to the floor. Onigumo swung his blade, hard, and there was a growl as he slayed the demon incarnate._

He grit his teeth and closed his eyes, clenching his fists, thinking on previous memories.

_"Lord Onigumo... there is a message for you. Would you like to speak with the courier?"_

_"What is it? Let him in."_

_"Yes my lord. Right away."_

_Onigumo rested his cheek in his hand, bored. He played with his quill and doodled, when the tent curtain opened. A man entered, with long black hair, and blue eyes. He seemed oddly fair, and made his breath hitch in his chest and still his heart as he walked into the room._

_"Are you the courier? Well, what is it? More demands? We've already paid our fee for the damages caused."_

_The lithe man seemed to swish across the room, before coming before him._

_"I bring you a message. The Lady Onigumo is to bear a child. Once the moon's visage turns black, and the sun rises red in the west, she will require your army as protection. Demons have come, pursuing royal blood in these times, their taste has become more refined..."_

_"Reika? She's with child? But I've been away for longer than a whole year now!" Onigumo snarled, and the man did not flinch, only smirked, just barely._

_"Shh... Do not worry, you can come to love the child. Any child is a sweet blessing, no matter how they have come. She will be waiting for you."_

_"What?! So, you're telling me I'm to believe you? Who are you? Reika would never betray me!" Onigumo shouted now, standing up from his desk. The beautiful man did not flinch, yet his nose crinkled just slightly and primrose red bloomed in his irises_.

_"Bring your army, and I will bring mine. The victor has claim over the female, but If she dies, she_ **_dies_ ** _. I will feel no loss. I am thousands of years old, many maidens have beared my children and yet **none** survived the night. See to it that she does, if you so value your wife, Onigumo."_

_He hissed, and bared his teeth to reveal his jagged fangs, the inside of his lips, black and slimy as he growled, his hair becoming blindingly white._

_"I'll kill you! Hell spawn!" Onigumo cried out, and swung his blade, but it only met the wood desk and halved it in two._

_The demon vanished into thin air, leaving only a red mist which sparkled before dissipating._

_"Reika...Reika!" He cried out, but it was no use._

"Reika... Why...? Why would you fall to that foul beasts spell?" He whispered, setting down the empty bowl. Onigumo sighed, taking the round saucer of sake and sipping, his lavender painted eyelids lowering as he became somber.

_No man is a match for demon magic... That's why. He enchanted her. He **defiled** her body._

Onigumo tilted his head back and allowed the sake to burn his throat, swallowing with a hiss.

_But, Kikyo... would a priestess be powerful enough to hold off their magic? Or would she be just as traitorous?_

He set the cup down and shook his head once, snorting, before standing up and removing his robes down to his black fundoshi, his broad back completely unblemished, the muscle moving beneath was hard and flexible as he walked, and blew out the candles lighting the room.

~o•O•o~

"Hn, Kikyo's been gone a long time..." InuYasha mused, getting up onto his haunches and sniffing the air.

_Normally she prays at the temple every night before bed, but it usually doesn't take **this** long._

He tensed, thinking perhaps she'd gotten in trouble with the bandit men, or worse, that Onigumo guy, who he didn't trust as far as he could throw him. Which was probably pretty far.

InuYasha growled, and sat up from where he was resting. He looked around at the bandit camps, seeing most had let their fires die down by now, and had retired to their tents. All that could be heard was the susurration of peep toads, and the heavy sighing breaths of sleeping horses.

 _It's much too quiet. I'd better go check on her._ He resolved, and sniffed the air, catching the familiar scent of Kikyo. Like pure lily blossoms and spring water. _His Kikyo._ InuYasha snorted, and hopped from roof to roof. Kikyo wasn't his, or any man's to claim. She'd told him once before that she was sworn to her duty, and could never wed, nor bear children. But why did she have to tell _him_ all that **yucky crap?**

InuYasha hopped down from the roof, then tensed as he sniffed around the temple. He knew a protective barrier was there that would zap him if he tried to get in, so he'd never tried to walk in after Kikyo, after being zapped multiple times he decided to give up instead of suffering that embarrassment even one more time.

He sniffed sharply, then growled.

_Onigumo. He was here. And... her tears!_

InuYasha straightened, looking to the inn where he'd sensed Onigumo's presence. There was no light emanating from within, so he disregarded it. He could that sense Kikyo's scent was fresher, and the fact that it was tainted by tears made it more alluring than confronting the bandit. He figured Kikyo would scold him, with a snort. She was _much_ too kind for his liking, to bandits at that!

There was a flash of silver beneath the moonlight as he ran down the dirt road, looking side to side for where she could have gone until he came to a valley that turned into the woods, and entered carefully.

_Why would Kikyo go into the woods?_

He questioned, then shook it off. Kikyo, alone in the woods at night crying was enough cause for worry. InuYasha slowed his break-neck pace as he skidded to a halt, where there was a sheer slope, then a wooden bridge. He lowered to his haunches and growled, prodding the bridge suspiciously. He didn't trust shoddy human craftsmanship. Foregoing the bridge, he instead jumped down the ledge, then back up the opposing cliffside, easily gripping the small exposed ledges before lifting himself up, panting.

"Whatever in the seven hell's she's doin out here, better be worth all this work!" He grumbled to himself, swinging his legs up over the cliff wall. InuYasha walked down the path, still following her scent until he heard the rushing of water.

"Water? That's odd. She goin' fer a swim?" He mused aloud, his ears turning in all directions, any surrounding sounds were muffled by the roar of the waterfall as he slowly approached the shore and crouched there.

 _Kikyo! She's! Naked...?_ He blinked, well, not quite. She still wore her nagajuban undergarments, as she filled a bucket of water and dumped it over her long black hair, the sheen of it under the moonlight like the midnight sky.

 _Wow, she's... beautiful._ InuYasha gulped, blinking his large golden eyes, the pupils expanding as he stared at her in wonder. Kikyo turned her back to him and bent down, splashing water up between her legs, then rubbing with a cloth. He could see, as he gazed, just the faint outline of her...

 _"Yipe!"_ He yelped, now fully realizing what she was _actually_ doing as Kikyo gasped and turned around quickly.

 _" **InuYasha**_ _! How **dare** you!'" _She gasped, covering herself quickly, then deciding that was useless, she ducked down into the water with a scream until all he could see was her angry face peeking out of the water.

"K-Kikyo! It's not what you think! I smelled your tears, and that bastard Onigumo! What did he _do_ to you?!" He shouted back, and diverted his eyes as she rose back up, squeezing out her hair. He turned around to allow her some privacy as she dressed.

"If you _must know_ , Onigumo told me the story of how his wife died. **That** is why I was crying. He did _nothing_ amiss." She snapped coldly, and he heard the sound of her robes rustling as she dressed.

InuYasha tensed, at hearing another sound. The creak of a wooden bow. He whirled around, staring at her incredulously.

"You! You would shoot me?!" InuYasha gasped, taken aback. It had been some time since Kikyo aimed her arrow at him, and even when she did, she'd always missed instead of shooting directly at him.

"Tell me, InuYasha. What are your intentions with me...?" Kikyo said, her voice biting as she held her aim steady.

"M-My intentions!? I-I dunno!?" He said, feeling totally flabbergasted as she made another step towards him.

"You were spying on me as I bathed. What do you _want_ , InuYasha...?" She said, her glare hardening icily. InuYasha gulped, the visions of her in the sheer robe still flashing through his mind. He licked his lips, subconsciously desiring the taste of her. His eyes widened. _The taste?!_

 _Do I want Kikyo...as a woman, or do I want her... to... eat...?_ He gulped, he'd never partaken in human flesh before, but he'd heard of demons that did such a horrible thing. He backed away, shaking his head in abhorrence.

"Well? I need to know. If you desire to be with me, InuYasha, I can only be with you as a human man. You would have to forsake your demon half. I would have to retire from my holy duties..." She said, and stepped forward this time again, lowering her bow. Her eyes were filled with a deep longing for the words she spoke, as she held one hand out to him in offering.

"N-No!" He shouted, backing away hastily from the hand that made him feel a heavy weight of responsibility. He couldn't just answer a question like that! Kikyo's eyes softened, saddened as she watched him run away from her. She placed one hand on her chest and rested it there, blinking away the tears of rejection.

_He does not want me as a human. Would he put a spell on me...? Could he?_

She asked herself, then quivered, shivering as the cold of the cool forest at night chilled her to the bone, as she looked around warily at the darkness, dreading to see the crimson... or golden gaze of a demon.

_I've been a fool. Truly... Onigumo was correct, then. If InuYasha will not give me an answer, then am I to assume the latter? That he would prefer to be a demon...?_

The young miko shuddered, pulling her robes closely around her, before picking her bow up off the shore and jumping up onto her horse, to return home. Where it was safe from the yokai, whether half, or full demon.

~o•O•o~


	3. A Trench Between Us

Morning came with the gradual warming of the old wooden house's siding, creaking as the moisture wept from the wood and dripped down, before evaporating into the cool air, and fluttering on the breeze that whirled into the open window. Kikyo sat quietly sipping from a cup of Kocha red tea. She watched Kaede roll off her futon with a thunk of her head on the floor and quietly snickered to herself as her younger sibling stirred to life.

"Good morning, Kaede." Kikyo said softly, setting down her empty cup and turning to the small box where she kept a wooden hair comb, and began combing her long hair, in order to put it in her ribbon.

"Good morning, sister Kikyo." Kaede rubbed her eyes and watched her, blinking tiredly before sniffing the pot of fresh porridge before her and eagerly getting herself a bowl.

"Make sure you go to your lessons today. I trust you'll play nice with the other children?" Kikyo said, as she wrapped the ribbon around her hair and allowed her long hair to rest on her shoulders.

"Yes, of course. Where are you going?" Kaede said curiously, tilting her head as she popped a full spoonful into her mouth.

"I'm travelling a small distance, but don't worry. I'll be alright. I'd like to go to the next village and purchase medicine for the future. What we have now is limited, but I was lucky to gain a small fortune." Kikyo said, smiling as she reached into her pocket.

"Really? How?" Kaede asked in wonder, then her jaw dropped as Kikyo pulled out four gold coins and handed them to her. "How I got them is of no concern, why not buy yourself a treat?" She said with a giggle, watching her little sister's eyes light up as she nodded.

Kikyo then stood, and gathered up various items, her bow and arrows, a canteen of water, and a collection of dried herbs that she could sell as well in return. She slung the bundle over her back in it's wrapped satchel, and leaned down for a hug. Kaede clutched around her waist before saying goodbye, and she opened the door.

Kikyo waved her off, then looked up just a moment at the roof, seeing it was bare. She frowned a little, then shook her head.

_InuYasha. That coward. I would have liked to have his company on the road._

She shook off the urge to shout his name and wail, balling her fists up furiously as she stormed away.

_That immature scoundrel! No good, peeping cretin!_

She growled lowly to herself, not noticing the many village people watching her walk by like a woman on a mission, openly slack-jawed as if the morning sun had fried their retinas down to the frontal cortex of their brains.

Kikyo felt silly for being so angry, why, she hadn't thought it likely that InuYasha would show up begging for her forgiveness, flowers in hand. She was sure he probably didn't even see the point in such a gesture, he'd never done it before. In fact, any of the kind things that InuYasha had ever done were never materialistic.

Not like Onigumo, with his _very_ forward remarks, blatant touching and unnecessary gold coins. She appreciated the flattery, sure. Although honesty, it made her slightly uncomfortable with the way he spoke and looked at her so intensely, as if burning through her with those deep brown eyes, which much like dark Kocha tea, shone red in the sunlight.

Kikyo slowed her pace, placing one hand on her cheek as she paused to look around the village, at everyone milling about, happily going about their day. When had her cheek become so warm? She pulled her hand back and sighed, blaming it on her anger, she took a deep, relaxing breath and moved onward.

Not long after, Kaede headed out the door, on her way to school. She stumbled over something and looked down.

"Huh? What's this?" She bent down and brushed away the dirt off the object and saw a small bouquet of wildflowers, secured together with a string.

"That's odd... Why were they here in front of our door?" She picked up the flowers and shook them off, but they were slightly crumpled like they had been stepped on. Kaede set them up against the house and looked at them for a long moment, curiously.

 _Whoever left them here, left them for Kikyo, I think. Maybe it was that InuYasha boy_.

Kaede turned away, hesitating to take her eyes off the flowers.

_But, sister Kikyo cannot marry. So perhaps they were for me?!_

She gulped nervously, then ran away, at only eleven years old she was much too young for secret admirers.

InuYasha watched the little girl run away and growled, he didn't intend for _her_ to find the flowers! Now Kikyo was even _more_ mad, and leaving for who knows where! He wasn't exactly sure _what_ to say or do, but he didn't want her to think he had just flat out rejected her offer, it was just too much to answer all at once! He needed more time to think about how he felt, and why. InuYasha frowned, hopping from the tree branch he was on and onto another as he made his way swiftly through the outskirts of the village.

~o•O•o~

Kikyo brushed through the mane of her horse and had attached a feeding bag before the long journey, checking it's shoes for any obstructions that could impair walking. She stood and returned to brushing down the mare, then attached her satchel of herbs to its saddle before leaving.

"Lady Kikyo? Where ye be headed off to?" An elderly woman asked, tottering over carefully on her wooden cane to speak with her.

"I'm going to purchase some remedies in the next town, did you need anything Oba-San?" She said gently, leaning down to her level.

"Aye, me arthritis has been acting up, and not to mention that darned gout is back..."

He watched carefully from afar, where Onigumo sat by a fire with some of his men, poking at it with a stick thoughtfully.

_Lady_ _Kikyo is very kind. To the elderly, to children...even to my men and I.._ _. how noble. A respectable quality to have._

He mused, watching her converse with the elderly woman with a wistful eye as Kikyo rummaged through her pack for a quick remedy for aching bones.

"Steep this in hot water and drink it twice a day. Be sure to elevate your feet as well." Kikyo said kindly, and gave the grateful woman a small cluster of dried herbs. The elderly woman bowed, and tottered off back to her hut. Kikyo smiled, at nothing in particular, then turned and met Onigumo's eyes and her smile faultered, and instead she felt guilt when she stared at him, and her hand went to her chest and clutched there around the sacred jewel.

The tall man stood, his long, wavy black locks swung freely around his back, instead of in the tight half knot that pulled it away from his face. He approached Kikyo and placed his hands on his hips with a sideways smirk, looking at her, then to the horse and back.

"Leaving already? But we've only been so recently acquainted.." He said with a sly tone, and Kikyo backed up against the horse apprehensively as she eyed him carefully, taking a quick note of his relaxed demeanor, and his slightly open robe that revealed a smooth, sculpted chest. She felt her cheeks flush hotly and turned away, preparing herself to mount the horse.

"Wait, can't we talk a moment...? I mean you no ill will, Lady Kikyo." Onigumo said, this time more serious and she looked over her shoulder at him, huffing.

"Speak." She said, a shiver going down her spine as she could almost feel his body heat behind her as he leaned closer.

"Have you thought about what I said...?" He whispered, placing his hands carefully on her shoulders. Kikyo looked down at the ground and attempted to keep the overwhelming feeling of her tears attempting to flow inside, before shrugging his hands off quickly.

"Do not touch me like we are so familiar, Onigumo." Kikyo said, facing him now with a brave swallow of her sobs.

"He did not take you seriously, did he?" He said softly, then reached and stroked the horse's mane instead of hers, and Kikyo turned her cheek and blinked, feeling ashamed that she had hoped he would do the same.

"He would rather stay an uncivilized beast. Does that appease you, that he cares so little for me?" She snarled lowly, then placed one hand on the breast of his robes and clutched it to get his attention. Onigumo looked back quickly, his luminous russet eyes settling on her with interest.

"No, it doesn't appease me. But I'm not at all surprised that he could not appreciate you for who you truly are beneath your outer exterior, demons so uncultured care little for human emotions." He said softly, and placed his hand over hers on his chest.

"Men feel a much broader spectrum of emotion. Love, hate, fear... desire. To sacrifice your youth, your station for the likes of his kind would truly be a shame." Onigumo whispered, and Kikyo's heart raced as he seemed to be inching ever closer. She panted a hot breath onto his throat and turned her face, blushing brightly.

"Do not attempt to woo me so openly, Onigumo! These people think me respectable, I am not a _common wench_ that you would find easy to court to your bed. That's enough!" She said, and pulled herself away quickly, with a shaky exhale.

Onigumo laughed then, and she had to turn back when she heard his hearty laugh at her blatant dismissal of his affections. Kikyo felt a small smile tug at her lips and hid it with her hand, concealing her coy eyes with her bluntly cut bangs.

"Oh? Woo you, did I? I didn't mean to, I guess it was my devilishly good looks, eh?" He said, and waggled a brow, and Kikyo giggled into her hand once again like a child. His expression brightened at hearing her laughter for the first time, and he strutted around like a peacock, puffing out his chest and flapping his arms until she crouched over laughing, holding her stomach.

"Alright, alright! So you've managed to make me laugh, but I was only laughing _at_ you, because you're foolish!" She said, straightening, crossing her arms.

Onigumo pulled himself back together, pulling his robe closed tighter.

"Ah, I was a fool to think you thought I was charming, Lady Kikyo. You're a tough egg to crack." He said, feigning dismay. She placed one hand on her cheek and flushed prettily at him, before speaking.

"Aye, Onigumo, I..."

"Oi! Back it up!" InuYasha growled, jumping down from an overhanging building and directly between the two, making Kikyo and Onigumo part from eachother quickly, startled by his sudden appearance.

"InuYasha! How rude of you to drop in unannounced!" Kikyo gasped, balling her hands into fists. Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest, enraged just at the sight of him.

"You interrupted the lady, Dog boy." Onigumo said lowly from behind, stepping forth threateningly.

"Psh! I'm sure she was _just_ telling you to leave!" InuYasha sneered back, then looked to her for support. Kikyo glared icily at him, then diverted her eyes away.

"No, I think it's **you** that is unwelcome in her presence, now, Lady Kikyo, allow me to escort you away from this _mongrel."_ Onigumo said, coming to her side and leading the horse away from InuYasha.

"Fetch him his blade, InuYasha. Or are you too cowardly to face Onigumo unarmed?" Kikyo said cooly, narrowing her eyes. Onigumo gaped at her, astonished, then back at InuYasha. The hanyou smirked cockily and strolled over to the bushes where he'd so carelessly tossed the weapons, and picked up the most ornate, most garish sword and toted it back to Onigumo, thrusting it into his hand.

"I'm sure you'll need this alot more than me, see, I have _built-in_ defense mechanisms, on me at **all times.** " InuYasha said slyly, and flexed his claws before Onigumo. The other man simply looked on, unimpressed and showed him his back, as he assisted Kikyo onto her horse. Kikyo began riding away, looking back over her shoulder as Onigumo turned to InuYasha and bared his teeth.

"You will leave her be. She doesn't desire to be in your presence." He snapped, then went and found his own horse, and followed after her to escort her.

InuYasha crossed his arms and huffed, before turning back to find the men raiding the stash of swords.

"Oi! Put those back!" He growled, and took chase after them, making them abandon their blades. He looked around the village and snorted, kicking a sword aside, back into the bushes.

 _Sure, so she just leaves! Abandon a undefended town, rife with bandits!_ InuYasha growled, and took residence up in a tree above the weapon stash, to keep guard over them, and watch over the village. He knew Kikyo was just using Onigumo to make him jealous, but he wasn't going to allow that to bother him. Such petty games were below him, besides, she would come back later, he was sure of it, and by then she would have had more than enough of that Onigumo creep.

~o•O•o~

She kept her eyes lowered on the reins as they rode side by side, in silence. Kikyo felt a bit immature, making such a show in front of the entire town.

_What was InuYasha trying to accomplish? To get him away from me? But why, If he doesn't care for me? Is he truly that selfish that he thinks I am his sole property to claim...?_

She pouted, her horse slowing as her hands fell slack. The shade of overhanging trees danced over the dirt road, as they lingered under the mottled sunlight cast between it's quivering leaves.

_It looks improper for a priestess to take off with a bandit man, alone in the woods..._

"Look, Kikyo. Ducks."

The word startled her, and for a moment, she had trouble comprehending what such a silly word even meant.

 _"D-Ducks...?"_ She repeated, blinking blankly at Onigumo as if he were speaking gibberish. He smiled and motioned to the ground before them, and when she turned to look down her heart fluttered in her chest. A mallard and hen waddled across the path, with a line of golden yellow ducklings toddling behind them, with flat, webbed orange feet. She giggled, feeling amused by the adorable sight.

"And to think, they taste so delightful." Onigumo teased, pulling his horse up to the side. Kikyo gasped, "You wouldn't!"

"No, I prefer my duck roasted..." He baited her once again, and earned a batting on the shoulder. Onigumo grinned, then they waited for the ducks to pass before continuing their journey.

They rode on awhile, before the horses became restless and hoofed the ground. Kikyo pulled on the reins, but her horse wouldn't budge. She combed her fingers through its mane and noticed Onigumo was looking up at the sky. Thunder cracked overhead, and spooked the horses before they could even ponder why. Kikyo gripped the horse's mane as tightly as she could as it took off in a mad dash for cover of the woods, and Onigumo followed.

"Kikyo!" He called, jerking hard on the reins to calm his horse, until it lowered its head and whinnied; kicking at the dirt before he led it to follow after Kikyo. He saw the flash of white and red through the weeds, then rain came crashing down in torrents.

He surged after her, then cornered her and the horse along a small outcrop of rock where the house had backed itself into a corner. Kikyo clung to it; frightened, her body wrapped around the mare as she clung to it for dear life.

"Shh. Shh." He made a soft shushing sound, and pulled a carrot from his saddle bag. "Shh. It's ok now." He whispered, and then the thunder clapped once again, and the horse reared back, and Kikyo screamed as she clung to it's back for dear life.

"Heel! Heel!" He said sternly, using his own horse to block the other's escape.

"Onigumo!" Kikyo cried, burying her face in the horse's back as it came back down and threatened to charge at him.

"Kikyo, you must relax. Let go." He said, sternly, holding off the horse with the carrot in hand.

"I-I can't! I'm scared! Please, I'll be thrown!" She cried, and it made the horse even more nervous as it sensed Kikyo's fear and whinnied, stomping one hoof. The rain came down heavily and made gripping to the horse even harder as Kikyo cried in fear, then Onigumo jumped off his own horse and faced the spooked beast. He stroked it's side and whispered softly.

"Come on, Kikyo. I'll catch you if you fall. Let go of the horse. You're frightening her more." He said softly, and she peeked out from dampened strands of hair and nodded, as he stroked the horse and attempted to feed it to distract it as she began to slowly move from where she had held it in a vice grip.

"Slowly. Slowly release your tension..." He said softly, and she sat up, then gasped as the horse shot out from beneath her and took off into the woods. Onigumo managed to catch her before she could fully fall, collapsing to his knees with her clutched to his chest. He watched as the horse took off and sighed, looking back down on her. Kikyo's shoulders shook as she attempted to hold back her tears, hiding her face in his shoulder.

"Let's find somewhere dry," He said reassuringly, and got her to her feet.

"Your mare will return once she calms down," Onigumo soothed, looking down at Kikyo as she attempted to hide her tears. He pretended to not have noticed, as the rain coated their faces, and his lilac eye paint began to run. Onigumo shrugged off the layer of his outer kimono and draped it over Kikyo's head, as she grasped the sides and looked up him, questioningly. He assisted her onto his horse, and rode behind her, travelling beneath the low bows of trees, the willow branches dripping with saturation, that made the forest floor become nearly impossible to transverse as the horse's hooves become suctioned into the mud.

"Onigumo, do you have a good sense of direction?" She whispered, looking over her shoulder. He smiled, and reached again into his saddle bag. Kikyo looked on with interest as his hand brushed over her leg and into the pouch. He pulled out a round object that was mirror-like, and unclasped the hinge to show her, his other arm wrapping around her waist. Kikyo was too fascinated to notice, as he opened the compass and she stared at the face of it in wonder, as the small arrow began to spin and point in different directions.

"What is this... sorcery..?" She said in a low whisper, looking back at him. He smirked, and directed her attention back on the compass.

"What direction do you want to go, Kikyo?"

She paused, then remembered.

"Oh, west from here. I believe there is an ancient shrine not far ahead we can take shelter in until the storm passes." She said, and he placed the compass in her hands. Kikyo took the compass and saw the small symbol for west, and began directing the horse in that direction. Not long after, the dark shadow of the old shrine could be seen and Kikyo smiled, feeling success as she looked back to Onigumo and he nodded.

"What's that thing called?"

"It's a compass, I must have one as the commander of the army, one should always know what direction he's travelling in." He said, and clipped it shut, putting back in the saddle bag as they approached the run-down temple and hurried inside, to get out of the cold. As they did, birds fluttered around in the rafters, where large holes let in the water. Puddles gathered in some areas, but they were able to find a dry area, where Onigumo began searching for dry wood to burn.

"We'll have to stay here possibly overnight," Kikyo said with a heavy sigh, feeling exhausted from their travels. "The next town is half a day's journey, and the weather doesn't seem to be letting up." She said, helping him gather up dried pieces of rotted wood, or dry grass to burn. "Are you so opposed to that?" He asked carefully, and Kikyo paused, then bent to pick up a stick.

"No. Why should I be?" She said simply, and shrugged, before kneeling to help him start the fire. Onigumo sniffed, "Well, your dog friend seems to think you'd rather not have my company."

Kikyo was silent a moment, before hitting two rocks together hard, and casting sparks into the small bundle of dead grass.

"I won't lie and say that I wouldn't prefer his company. But, right now I refuse to speak with that .. that **cur.** " She growled, stuffing the smouldering grass into the sticks with a stick.

"Also, his **name** is InuYasha." She added, crossing her arms. Onigumo simply nodded, his eyes inspecting her body language. Kikyo sat with her legs tightly closed, her arms crossed over her chest as she still clutched his robe around her for warmth. Her eyes darted at him quickly as if she felt them on her, and glared. "Don't get any ideas."

Onigumo chuckled, and scooched closer to the fire.

"I'm just a bit damp, my lady." He said, his jaw slightly quivering. Her eyes widened and she quickly relinquished the robe, shoving it into his hand quickly. He put it back on and sighed, rubbing his hands in front of the fire.

"You chose for me to escort you. Is that not why you gave me back my blade...?" He said, pulling it off his waist belt and lying it across the floor to sit more comfortably. Kikyo eyed the blade and bit her lip, looking down into the flames.

"I'm sorry. I intended to make him envious." She said, and wrung the ends of her wet sleeves in her hands nervously. She expected to get a shameful comment, but instead Onigumo just shrugged.

"I know. I quite liked the aghast way his face twisted like that, to be honest."

Kikyo sniffled softly.

"I didn't, not really. It didn't feel as good as I'd hoped." She said, and squeezed water from her sleeves.

"Your robe is drenched." He said softly, and began removing his own. Kikyo looked away, hiding her eyes in her hair.

"I'll be fine."

"Alright. But you should know, wearing wet clothing will cause you to catch a cold." He said, shrugging off his white robe down to the thin layer of his nagajuban, through which she could almost see the dark shadow of his fundoshi. Kikyo looked away quickly and gasped, before shaking her head.

"You're right. Let's not be childish." She said cooly, and stood, removing her robes down to her thin white robe as well, which although sheer, her breasts were bound with bandages for modesty underneath her robes. Onigumo kept his back turned while she de-robed, instead looking up at the rafters.

"How good of a shot are you?" He asked, in a tone that was almost dubious.

"I am very skilled with the bow, why?" She snapped back immediately, a little too defensive as she laid her wet robes next to his, on a leaning pillar adjacent to the fire.

"Well, those sparrows are quite fat. They may fly _juuust slowly_ enough for you to hit." He sneered, knowing he was baiting her; hook, line and sinker.

"Excuse me?! I'd like to see you try!" She snarled back, picking up her bow without hesitation. He watched her with awe as she drew back the bow, and speared 2 sparrows on it at once, then the arrow stuck in the wall.

"Erm.. oops." Kikyo murmured, then Onigumo smirked at her and strolled over to where the arrow was stuck.

"Up you go~" He simply said, before swooping her up into his arms and looking down on her with a playful grin as she slapped at him.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"You're hungry, aren't you? Can you fetch that arrow?"

Kikyo pushed against his chest and growled in her throat at their close proximity, then nodded.

"I suppose. But keep your eyes **down**." She snarled, all she wore for underwear was a wrapped cloth thong that was the same sheer material as her robe.

"I _have_ to look up, Kikyo." He said, smirking.

"Look up, and you **die**. I swear it, I'll crush your skull in with my foot."

That seemed to get his attention, and he nodded. "Alright, I promise." He lifted Kikyo up onto his shoulders, and she balanced on them carefully, then plucked the arrow out of the wall.

"There. But you get to gut it, for that." She snipped, and hopped down, not realizing that in her jump, her robe flipped up and exposed her backside to him for a split second. Onigumo's eyes widened and he blushed, taking the skewered birds.

"Ah, I suppose that's a f-fair trade."

The black haired vixen sneered at him, as if she were the victor and sauntered away to go rest by the fire, leaving Onigumo blinking, at the desirable image still prevalent in his mind.

_Most definitely..._

~o•O•o~

The small village street was slick with water as the thunderstorm made it's way through. InuYasha had managed to stay relatively dry, taking cover beneath the overhang of the inn, where he watched Onigumo's men in their tents intently. He didn't trust them not one bit, and so he'd buried all their swords a ways away, deep in the ground where they wouldn't find them. His nose scrunched up, then she sneezed loudly and shook water droplets off of his hair. He wiped his nose on his sleeve, then crossed his arms back stubbornly.

"I..InuYasha-San?" A timorous voice uttered quietly, and he looked over quickly to see the small girl he remembered faintly as Kikyo's little sister, standing to the side of him with a straw jingasa hat held out for him.

"Eh? What's that?" He growled, backing away from her as she tried to put it on his head. InuYasha rubbed his head vigorously where it had touched his ears. Kaede held the hat behind her back and tilted her head, before smiling timidly.

"It's a jingasa. It keeps the rain out of your eyes... do you.. mind staying with me until sister Kikyo comes home...? It's warm by the fire, and I can make noodles." Kaede said innocently, and watched as InuYasha grumbled and looked towards the edge of town, where his yellow eyes had been trained on as well after she left with Onigumo.

"Hn. I s'pose that would be alright. But I ain't wearing no hat." He said quickly, and before Kaede could answer, he darted towards their house and ducked inside in a flash of red. She gasped with her surprise at the sheer speed he was capable of, before giggling and running towards the house.

Once she got there, she was startled by how dark it was in the cabin.

"Your fire went out. So much for a warm fire." He snuffed, covering his nose with one hand as the smoke filled the room. Kaede looked around at the wet floor and walls, and ascertained that InuYasha must have shook himself dry like a dog once he came in.

"That's ok. I can get it going again." She said with a small smile, and hung her hat up on the hook along with the larger one that was Kikyo's. InuYasha watched her closely as she took a small bundle of birch bark and filled it with straw, before placing it on the coals. Not even a minute later, the small bundle lit and the fire roared.

"That's all ya gotta do?" He said, staring into the fire with wonder.

"Aye, Kikyo taught me that trick." She said, as she toted in the cauldron pot full of water and hung it on the spit.

"Feh, her and her magic herbs and potions. Not my style." He snorted, "Just smash some rocks together, that'll get a blaze goin." He muttered, and Kaede snickered as she waited for the water to boil, sitting down across from InuYasha. He scattered over a foot, his claws making scratches in the wood floor as he did. She frowned as she watched him slink away, almost as if cowering from her close contact.

 _Hasn't he ever sat next to someone besides sister Kikyo...?_ Kaede wondered, then returned to the boiling pot, adding a handful of dried udon noodles. Then, she added a compact cube of dried broth and herbs and watched as InuYasha's nose pricked eagerly in response.

"What's that?"

"Oh, that? It's for flavoring." She said, then fetched another out of the bag and held it out to him. InuYasha leaned forward and sniffed, then snatched it out of her hand and popped it in his cheek quickly before she could warn him not to.

He chewed a moment then grimaced, spitting it all over the floor and attempting to wipe his tongue with his hakama sleeve.

"Bleh! Are ya tryin' ta poison me?! That's salty!" He spat, and Kaede shook her head.

"No! I should have warned you. Here, have a drink." She said kindly, and handed him a large pitcher of Kikyo's favorite Kocha tea she kept on the floor to cool for later. InuYasha took it and chugged it, hissing with relief as the tea washed his palate clean.

"That's better. Next time, you better warn me! Now I ain't too sure if I should trust you, girl." He grumbled, handing back the pitcher. Kaede smiled and set it down, before stirring the noodles that had quickly cooked, adding a handful of chopped leeks to it.

"My name is Kaede, remember? And you can trust me. I wouldn't ever poison you." She said nicely, then began preparing him a bowl of noodles. InuYasha narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, then took the bowl.

"Hmmm. Why are you being so nice to me...? I'm a scary demon, remember?" He said, taking the chopsticks she handed him, then looking at them with frustration.

"Hold them like this, see?" She said, showing him with her own noodles, then slurping. InuYasha copied her movements, then slurped even louder than her before gulping, his eyes widening with surprise.

"This is good!" He said, and began digging into it eagerly with the chopsticks.

"Well, Kikyo told me not to be afraid of you just because you're a demon, and besides... I saw the nice flowers you picked for her." She said, looking from her peripheral as the demon boy stiffened where he sat, then growled.

"Feh. Yeah, ya mean the ones she stomped over?" He said, tossing the empty bowl to the floor and crossing his arms. Kaede picked up the bowl and sighed, filling it again.

"I'm sure that my sister would never step on them on purpose... She mustn't have seen... Besides, do you know where she went to? I thought she would be back before nightfall." Kaede said, handing him the bowl. She watched as many emotions came over InuYasha's face, then he quelled them by stuffing a mouthful of noodles onto his mouth and slurping.

"Hn. I'm sure she's off havin a grand old time by now. She'll be back. I just know it." He muttered angrily, and Kaede nodded, not wishing to ask any more questions once a tiny tinge of red had darkened the whites of his eyes.

~o•O•o~

The savory scent of cooked poultry hung in the air as Kikyo stood and tossed the bones out the open door, then rinsed her hands off with rainwater. She wiped them off on her thin nagajuban feeling embarrassed still by the sheerness of the white fabric as she sat back down by the fire and sat with her arms crossed over her legs. They were very long and pale, as the fire flickered over her skin and into her deep chestnut brown eyes.

Onigumo was pacing slowly around the ancient shrine, picking up rotted scrolls and leafing through them. Kikyo sighed and observed him, feeling rather relaxed by the heavy patter of rain, which trickled down from the rafters and splashed into small puddles. She loved the earthy scent it made, as the cool breeze wafted in from the many openings and cracks.

"What are you looking for..? I didn't take you to be a holy man." She said curiously, as Onigumo rolled out an ancient scroll and mused thoughtfully as he read it.

"Hmm, I don't have anything particular in mind. And after the things I've seen...I don't need these." He said softly, then came closer and threw a handful of scrolls into the fire, and smirked at her as her eyebrows raised reproachfully towards him.

"What? They were going to rot anyway." He said with a shrug, and squatted down beside her. Kikyo chuckled softly, watching the papers curl, and the black ink melt away.

"You may have learned something, that's all." She said, dismissively. Onigumo watched her profile a moment, then followed her eyes to the small fire.

"I know enough. I don't need papers to tell me anything." He said, then rested on his palms and stretched his feet out, sighing heavily.

"I'll go to hell, just like all the others." He said, and Kikyo frowned at that as she tore her eyes from the flames and furrowed her brows at him.

"You don't know that, Onigumo..."

"Sure I do. All the lives I've taken. All the crimes I've committed. Ah, I figure, I'm going to hell anyways. May as well live it up while I can." He said with a bitter chuckle, and gazed up at the openings in the ceiling, where he could see the dark sky above. Kikyo turned onto her side and leaned on one hand to look at him closer, feeling frustrated by the hopeless way he spoke.

"Well, perhaps you _could_ be redeemed. You saved me today, I could have very well been trampled to death. I'd say saving a miko's life is up there with good duties." She said with a small smile, then faltered as she shook his head stubbornly.

"Nah, don't worry your pretty little head on my behalf. I'll be just fine, Kikyo. Best keep your talents for the people who _truly_ need it. I'll be out of your hair soon, so just forget about it." He said, then rolled over with his back facing her, using his bundle of clothes as a pillow.

Kikyo watched him a moment, trying to think of words of encouragement, but instead she looked away and rolled over onto the other side, staring at the fire as she listened to the monotonous susurration of rain. Her eyelids began to grow heavy, then she heard him say something very softly,

"A noble woman like you, is sure to go to Nirvana and live in peace for all eternity."

Kikyo didn't know why, but after hearing his words she felt hot tears began to run down her cheeks, and squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to sleep.

~o•O•o~


	4. Thorn in My Side

A small light filtered through the cracks in the old temple ceiling, as the sun rose, so did he. Onigumo sat up, the mottled sunlight dancing on his bare skin like a kaleidoscope as he took in his surroundings, and remembered where he was. _That's right, Kikyo and got waylaid by a thunderstorm, and her horse got spooked and ran off._ He rubbed his eyes, and looked over to see his travelling companion, only to see that she was gone, as was her and his clothing, and his horse. His heart jumped up into his throat a moment, as he considered the many possibilities as to why. _One, she's robbed me and left me for dead. Two, she's gone to town to fetch her supplies, or three, she's outside waiting for me...?_

Onigumo frowned, hoping that the latter option was the most likely. Kikyo seemed too kind a soul to leave him like that, but being a bandit, he'd had his fair share of shady travelling companions, that would no sooner take the clothes off your back, than wait for you to wake.

He stood, looking down at himself in nary but his black fundoshi, he surely hoped that Kikyo had the decency to at least leave him his clothes. He looked down at the floor, where he saw the blackened remains of the fire, and his sword lying across the warped floorboards. He picked it up and unsheathed it, walking cautiously out to the entryway where the door had long ago fallen off.

Onigumo blinked when he saw what he did, Kikyo was there right in the clearing, dressed and ready to go, combing through her long, black hair as she sat atop a horse. Her horse, he realized. It must have come back sometime during the night. She didn't notice him until he stepped forward, and the wooden board creaked under his foot.

Kikyo smirked, _He looks like a wild man, with his hair all a mess, in nothing but a loin cloth with his sword drawn at me as if I were a looter!_ She laughed softly, catching his ear.

"Hey, what's so funny? What did you do with my clothes?" He muttered, sheathing the sword. Kikyo stopped her combing to deftly wrap up her hair, holding the comb in her mouth as she tied the ribbon. He waited until she was done, feeling impatient as she plucked fretfully at her side pieces of hair to make them lay properly. Onigumo cleared his throat, and Kikyo at last paid him mind once again. She gestured towards a tree, and as Onigumo followed her gaze, he saw his robes and underclothes draped over a branch, where as he walked over to finger the fabric, he noticed it was crisp from air drying, and warm from the sunlight.

"Our clothes got muddy, so I washed them earlier this morning. Dress and we can be on our way, we've already wasted too much time. Kaede will worry about me." She said, putting away her comb, and taking out a tiny jar, from which she took a mint leaf and chewed it to freshen her breath. Onigumo blinked, almost dazedly, then shook his head, processing what she'd said.

"Thank you Kikyo, but you really didn't have to. I go weeks without washing my robes, in fact, I can't remember the last time I washed them. I normally just buy new ones when the old ones get dirty." He said, as he shrugged them on. Kikyo snorted from behind him, _Must be nice, how convenient_ ** _that_** _must be!_

Onigumo pulled his robe shut and tied it, then slid his sheath into the waist belt.

"I see your mare returned," He said, then walked over to his own horse, getting on.

"I suppose she got over her fear and found her way," She said with a small smile, rubbing the brown and white horse's ear. "She could have really injured me, and I think she knows it. I woke up to a furry face in my own, licking my cheek." Kikyo chuckled, and Onigumo smiled as they made their way down the grassy trail, the long, overhanging blades of grass by the horses hooves still dripping with dew.

"She must really love her master. You seem like the kind of woman who takes good care of things." He said, recalling all the little things he had witnessed Kikyo do, from caring for the people of the village, to tending to her horse, caring for herself, then lastly, even himself, something he could barely believe he was _worthy_ of.

Kikyo lowered her gaze to the reins and rode astride him, not answering a moment. Then she spoke, and he felt a small twinge of regret for the way he'd chosen his words.

"Yes, I take care of things. I suppose that's the way it is, whether you're a miko, or an ordinary woman, the weight will always fall upon someone's shoulders." She said, and glanced at him quickly before looking away.

Onigumo neglected to respond a moment, pondering how he would respond to such a thing. He watched as each step the horse made, caused her to jostle just slightly in the seat. Where an ordinary woman would jiggle salaciously, she did not.

He gulped, then looked away, remembering how he'd seen a peek of the linen wrap that bound her breasts, and resolving that must be why, it was a necissary modesty for her to have as a priestess. He felt wrong for staring in the hope she would not be so tightly bound.

"...If you _were_ an ordinary woman, I'm sure you could easily find a suitor that would care for your needs. You could stay at home and care for the multiple children I'm sure he would give you, and live comfortably on whatever wages he earned, as a... what, farmer?" He said, and froze stiff when Kikyo burst out, laughing at him. She looked back at him with a coy smirk, and his face reddened with embarrassment.

"You think so, eh? Do you think I seriously desire such a meager existence, is a woman to you only good for bearing children? Perhaps I desire to travel the world, healing others, _helping_ others, what kind of man would be so patient as to _wait_ for a woman like that to return home?" She intoned slyly, and his face reddened darker.

"A true husband would give her _whatever_ she desired, _whenever_ , and not bind her to one place." He said, then his cheeks drained of blood at last as he felt triumphant in his answer. Kikyo hummed thoughtfully, then moved her shoulders in a shrug.

"Too bad. I'm only a priestess, and there is no such man, at least not that I can see." She said, not looking back at him for fear he'd see her reddened cheeks as she considered his words.

 _A man that would give her **whatever** she desired, **whenever**...? Does he **mean**...?! He would take a woman in the woods just like that, anywhere?_ She blushed from her cheeks to her chest, and lifted one hand to fiddle with the sacred jewel tucked safely in the secrecy of her bosom, as she took a deep breath.

 _Onigumo is just speaking hypothetically. He was playing a riddle game with me, that's all. He couldn't possibly mean..._ Kikyo shook her head once, then gripped the reins.

"Let's speed up the pace." She said in brief; before taking off from him, and letting the woods rush by. Onigumo paused in place a moment, then smirked, and shook the reins. Either he was hallucinating, or Kikyo was playing _coy_ with him...? Two could play that game.

~•o•O•o•~

"Rrrr." InuYasha grumbled, sniffing the floor of the old temple. He didn't like what he smelled, apparently Kikyo and that bandit had spent the night here, after he'd gotten antsy last night when she didn't return, he decided to go after her. It wasn't that hard to sniff out their trail, it was especially easy when her horse had come just _trotting_ back into town, and walked up to the front door! InuYasha led the horse back, then ducked away as not to be conspicuous. He was _very_ suspicious, after seeing Kikyo washing their clothes in the river. She let _Onigumo_ see her in her underclothes, but not _him?!_

"Feh. Perverted bandit, that's what he is!" He grumbled, snorting out the scent of mildew and ash. Thankfully, he hadn't smelled blood. The scent of Kikyo's blood on the floorboards would mean perhaps she'd given her purity away. He sighed, and felt relieved that there was no such scent. Surely, a scent like that would be enough to send him into a demonic rage... Something he wasn't exactly intending on doing, but if it came to pass, Onigumo would be torn to shreds. InuYasha smirked, and stood, brushing the dirt off his palms.

_When it comes to fighting, he's got nothing on me!_

InuYasha thought, feeling confident, then hopped through an opening in the roof and perched there a moment, and leaped off into the grass, a flash of silver and golden eyes in the heavy green foliage.

~•o•O•o•~

"Wait." Kikyo paused, her horse coming to a stop instantly as she jerked the reins.

"What is it?" Onigumo asked, and pulled his horse to a sudden halt with his surprise.

"Shh!" Kikyo hissed, then looked over her shoulder, slowly removing an arrow from her quiver as she raised her bow.

"Demons." She whispered, then loosed an arrow. The arrow flew past him so quickly and with such a powerful aura, Onigumo jerked back, pulling his katana from its sheath as he looked around quickly.

There was a flapping of wings, a harsh cry, then a thud in the distance as the arrow hit, and an odd resonating sound as the faint lilac light sparkled, and fluttered faintly through the trees as she shot a crow demon. His horse backed up, nervous, and Onigumo hopped down, Kikyo following quickly, before they stood back to back, and watched as the demons slowly encroached on them.

"What do they want?" Onigumo murmured, and Kikyo shook her head.

She knew what they wanted, what they sensed. The sacred jewel hidden carefully in her robes.

"The jewel, you have it, yess? Give it to uss... " A demon hissed, then came out of the undergrowth, and Onigumo stiffened at seeing the salamander beast that dragged a distended belly across the grass, its green eyes rolling dementedly as its long tongue lolled out the side of its drooling mouth.

"What? A jewel? What's wrong with it?" Onigumo insisted, and Kikyo nudged him with her elbow, before loosing another arrow, and striking the salamander directly in the skull, the beast seemed to pop upon impact, into nothing but blood spray as the purple luminescence blasted out in a radiating sphere of light. Onigumo marvelled at it; he'd heard of priestesses that could grant miracles, cure ailments, but he'd never head of one that could slay demons in such a dazzling way.

"That yokai was sick from hunger, grown delirious from the aura I give off." She said quickly, before spearing another demon in the trees. Onigumo tensed, sensing something by his feet, he looked down and saw a rat demon about to leap at him, and slashed it in midair, with a loud squeal as he cut cleanly through its vital organs.

"Your aura?"

"I have returned this area back to as it should be, these temple grounds were once a holy place, but the priests here had fallen ill from the demonic aura that they were too weak to purify. The woods around here became rampant with yokai, feeding off any villagers that seeked out the shrine. That's why this temple was abandoned, long ago, once the demons had possessed the priests, and it became a feeding ground for the yokai in the woods. That temple has been here longer than I have been alive, perhaps even as early as the Kamakura period," She said quickly, before firing three more arrows in rapid succession. Kikyo sighed, and turned around, feeling satisfied that all the yokai were eliminated. Onigumo tensed, and stepped forward, his katana held out before him at the ready.

"Lady Kikyo, **do not** move." He said sternly, and she froze in place, only turning her face just slightly before her eyes widened, and she gasped as she felt a slice of cool air across her back. Onigumo's blade cut through the air, and there was a terrifying squelching sound as the steel struck through the object with a crunch, and then thudded on the ground; squashing the squirming demon beneath the weight of his sword. Kikyo turned around quickly, though her body felt like every hair had stood up on end with disgust, having a yokai crawling across her back, and she hadn't even sensed it.

There was a sizzling sound as it's acidic blood bubbled out onto the grass, then an inhuman, gutteral hiss as the red scorpion demon struggled beneath his blade where it's body was crushed, the deadly stinger dripping with venom, stabbing at the air threateningly. Kikyo hesitated to shoot, and instead, she pulled a sutra from her sleeve, and flung it at the yokai, quickly stunning it instantly.

"Why did you do that?" Onigumo gasped, then watched in wonder as Kikyo reached for her saddle bag, and pulled out a small vial, before squatting down, catching the drops of venom in her glass bottle.

"I need to extract the venom before killing it. Scorpion Yokai anti-venom is very highly sought after; seeing as many are too frightened to fetch it themselves. I may as well take it while I have the chance." She said. The venom sizzled as it hit the cool glass, then once she was satisfied it was full, she corked the bottle, and removed the sutra.

"Oh, right. Very wise choice." Onigumo answered, observing as the scorpion dissolved instantly, and his blade came free easily now, dislodged from it's hard exoskeleton. He wiped it on the grass before sheathing it, then looked to Kikyo nervously as she went to put away the venom.

"...Kikyo, that demon was on your back. Did it sting you?" He asked tensely, and she shook her head once, looking back over her shoulder. "I don't think so, but if it did, there may be numbing agents in the toxin." Onigumo observed her, and noted how there was a clean slice in her haori, which revealed the creamy, smooth skin of her back.

"Let me look." He said, and she turned her face away, and allowed him. The slice had cut her linen wrap off, and now her skin prickled with the exposed feeling as Onigumo parted the slit in her robe.

He traced one finger across her back, searching for the indent of a stinger. Kikyo held her breath for what seemed like an eternity before he pulled away, and patted her shoulders.

"Your free of harm, my lady." He said, and they both sighed from the parting in relief. "Oh, and... Here. Until we get to town, then, I'll buy you a new robe." He said, placing his own outer robe on her shoulders for modesty.

"Fine. Thank you." Kikyo nodded quickly, not wishing to discuss the situation any further, she pulled it around her chest and tapped the horse with her sandal, sending it into a light jog, as the trees became sparser, and the dirt road could be seen once again. Onigumo followed behind her, the light white nagajuban he wore clinging to his back with a nervous sweat.

_That was **very** close, if I hadn't killed it in time, it would have stung her in the back, not a second later._

~•o•O•o•~

InuYasha waited for the couple to leave the clearing before hopping down off an overhanging branch, and sniffing around where the two had been standing. He clenched his fist in anger, he just couldn't believe that Kikyo had let her guard down with that man, and allowed the demon to latch onto her back! He'd almost revealed his position at that moment, but thankfully, Onigumo surprised him with how quick he was to attack the demon. He also impressed InuYasha by treating Kikyo with respect; something he hadn't expected when he saw the way the man eyed just a few inches of her exposed back as if it were _gold_ or something.

"Feh _._ **I** saw Kikyo bathing, I've seen more of er' than him! I don't get what's so special about a woman's back, though." He muttered, and scratched behind one ear with his foot, becoming distracted for a moment.

There was a rustling in the brush; then a rumbling, purring sound that startled InuYasha into action. He stood quickly, readying his claws as something barely discernible moved in the shadows, its black and white markings concealing it to anyone without eyes as sharp as an Inu-Yokai's. He spat, and crinkled his nose at the intruder.

"Come on out, you don't think I can smell you? You reek!" He sneered. The shadow chuckled, then spoke.

"The woman... you admire her. But the other, _he's_ the one who protected her." She spoke in a small reedy, voice, then revealed herself. InuYasha's eyes widened as a female yokai came out before him, her azure needle-pointed eyes meeting his own golden ones as she peeked out from a side-swept mane of white hair with black streaks. InuYasha growled and firmed his stance as she slinked forward in a snake-like slithering walk, her thick tail moving behind her back as her black, fur coated body moved with a sleek sheen as she approached him.

"Why not mate with your own kind, like me for example...?" She tittered, flipping her hair out of her eye with one hand. InuYasha growled back, _"As if!_ I'm not some stinkin' skunk demon, I may be hanyou, but my blood is purer than a foul creature like _you."_ He retorted back, and she clicked her tongue at him in dissatisfaction, then surged forth, her claws and fangs out. InuYasha lept right at her in response, and slashed her across the chest.

 _"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"_ He said, and watched as she fell back in a spray of blood, and collapsed to the ground in a jumble of twisted limbs. He snickered, then walked over and squashed the remains of the lowly skunk yokai as his bare foot deflated her. A green mist oozed out, then rose and surrounded him. InuYasha coughed, then began to hack profusely at the strong scent of it's putrid musk.

 _Keh! Shouldn't have squashed it!_ He thought briefly, before becoming light headed from the heavy odor, and passing out face first in the grass.

~•o•O•o•~

_"Hey! You can't do that!"_

" _Heheh, you don't have your precious priestess to protect you now, do you?"_

_"No! No, stop!"_

Kaede tossed and turned in her sleep, whimpering, then rolled off of her futon with a heavy thud, and hit her head on the wood floor like she did almost everyday. But what was different, was that this time, she didn't hear the soft laughter of her sister Kikyo. Kaede groaned, squeezing her eyes shut, as light washed over her and blinded her.

 _"Give up all your goods, or suffer the consequences!"_ A voice startled her, and she groaned.

_This has to be a nightmare, it has to be... I just won't wake up, that's it... I'll wait for sister Kikyo to wake me up..._

_"I **said** , give em' up, girl!" _The voice insisted once again, then Kaede yelped out in agony as she felt a searing pain in her skull. She screamed and lashed around the bed in pain, as the bandit twisted his sword in her eye.

"Now, ya see. It ain't some figment of your imagination." He chuckled, and Kaede at last managed to open one eye, and froze in terror at the sight before her. Her teeth chattered, as she felt the heat of blood leaking down her face, and reached for her robe, patting until she found the pouch of coins from Kikyo.

"H-here... This is all I have, p-promise..." She managed to whispered, and the man snatched the bag from her, removing his sword, then slashing it across her cheek with a cruel laugh.

 _"Aahhh!"_ She screamed, and cringed backwards from him into the fetal position, curling up on the floor, sobbing. The shadow in the hot sunlight at last left, a small trail of blood drops landing on the wood floor, the door swinging behind him as he retreated. Kaede could only sob, as she heard the terrified cries of the villagers all around her, and tried to hide the best she could.

_Kikyo... InuYasha... **where** are you?!_

~•o•O•o•~

"Ah, hello Lady Kikyo, how were thy travels? You arrived later than I had hoped, and with a travelling companion, none the less," The woman in the apothecary shop said, as Kikyo handed her the satchel of dried herbs, and she picked through it with a keen eye.

"Hello, yes, unfortunately we were waylaid by a storm. This is my escort, Onigumo-sama." She responded, and the woman looked to him inquisitively before nodding to him in greeting. Kikyo reached into her pocket, and set the vial of scorpion venom down.

"How much for this scorpion yokai venom?" She said, and the woman gasped as she eyed it, then carefully picked it up, and held it towards the light. She swirled it around, then opened the bottle, and tested it by sticking a blade of grass into the liquid. It immediately dissolved, and she closed it quickly.

"¥2,673 Yen." She answered quickly, and Kikyo nodded. Onigumo's brows raised, impressed; and he walked closer, inspecting all the wares displayed on the counter and shelves around him, humming with interest.

"...Are you a priest, sir?" The shopkeeper asked, assuming that any man travelling with a miko must be.

"No, I have no such attachments. I'm like what you'd call a ronin, though I serve no daimyo." He said, and the woman's hands went to her blushing cheeks. Kikyo looked to him with a reproachful gaze, then shook her head.

"I-I didn't know you kept such company!" She stuttered, and Kikyo dismissed her surprise with a soft laugh.

"He's no hero, come now, Nasuki, I'll take my usual." Kikyo said, and passed her a stack of coins. Nasuki nodded eagerly, and went to gather the various tinctures that Kikyo required. Onigumo tilted his head curiously, intrigued how Kikyo was both the _supplier_ of this woman's goods, _and_ one of her best customers. A tactic, that as he mused over, he realized was quite keen of Kikyo. By keeping the shop stocked at all times, she ensured she would always have what she needed, without the hassle of making the medicine herself.

Onigumo smirked at Kikyo, and watched as Kikyo took back her change that was twice as much as she'd came with.

"Thank you, Nasuki! I'll see you in a few weeks." Kikyo waved goodbye, and they left the shop. Onigumo waited for Kikyo to finish putting away her goods to speak, then tilted his head towards the shop where linens hung from the front entrance; advertising that it was a clothing shop. Kikyo looked, and hesitated a moment, before following him. She pushed through the silky cloth curtain, and clasped her hands before her, clutching the lilac-hued robe he'd given her closed as he strolled directly in, and walked as if on a mission. Kikyo's cheeks flared, she had never been in such an extravagant kimono shop. All her clothing were hand-sewn.

"Hello, good sir. You look in need of a new robe, and the lady?" The well-dressed shopkeeper said, and Onigumo nodded, "Yes, I'll need a new set, but the lady will need a fitting for a summer yukata."

Kikyo gasped and placed her fingers over her mouth. _A yukata?!_ She'd never worn something so flimsy, so light, yet... so _pretty!_ It wasn't in her wardrobe as a miko, but as she looked around, she saw that was pretty much her only option, or a long kimono, which she would have preferred, if it weren't so sweltering hot today.

"Well, come in, miss. We'll get your measurements, go on through the back room and a lady will be waiting." He said, and Kikyo quivered, before nodding her head quickly. She felt like each step towards the back room was a mile, as she walked towards the curtain, and entered.

Onigumo smiled as Kikyo hurried away, then turned to the shopkeeper and grinned. "What's your finest material...?"

Kikyo entered the back room, and was greeted by an elderly woman. She removed Onigumo's over robe, and the old woman waited as she removed her nagajuban, then began measuring her. Kikyo closed her eyes, and waited as she felt the string the woman used as a guide to wrap around her hips, her bust, then along her inseam.

The elderly woman turned away, leaving Kikyo in her robe as she waited.

"Now, young lady. Let's talk about replacing those... _ugly_ old underwear." Kikyo's eyes widened, and she looked down at what the old woman was holding.

"W-What's wrong with what I have on...?" She said, covering her chest for modesty, the linen wrap sagging in the back where it had been cut.

"Well, a linen wrap just isn't _practical_ these days, there's more comfortable _,_ attractive items that flatter a lady's chest, not crush it down." She said, and held out the strange, white object.

"What is it?" Kikyo said, puzzled.

"This will hold your bosom in place better. Let's see if it fits now, dear." The sweet elderly woman said, and Kikyo paused, taking the item of clothing; feeling it between her fingers. It was thin, yet would cover her suitably where she needed it... but perhaps she was unsuited for such an item...?

"I... have no need, I'm a miko." Kikyo said, and tried to hand it back to her. The lady giggled, and placed it back firmly in her hands and patted them.

"Nonsense, all women should feel supported, no matter their station."

Kikyo mused on this, feeling it between her fingers. It was nothing particularly fancy, only a white, rectangular piece of cotton, with straps that would tie around her shoulders and back for support. It would match the white fundoshi she wore, as well as perhaps be more suitable for her fighting needs, after all.

"Ok, I suppose you're right."

Kikyo said, and handed it back to the woman, allowing her to instruct her on how it wear it.

~•o•O•o•~

The day was growing longer, and the heat more oppressive as InuYasha at last woke from where he'd passed out. He got up on his hands and knees, shaking twigs out of his hair.

 _Damn it! I'm behind, they've had to already been to town now!_ He grumbled, and got to his feet, shaking grass off of himself. He picked up on Kikyo's scent, and began to follow her trail, and the bandit Onigumo's. He'd been down this trail many times, whenever Kikyo would make her journey every few months to buy medicine, he would commonly go with her. Normally, he didn't enter the town with her, though. It was bad enough he got gawked at in her home village, he didn't want to have to go through that all over again, and he supposed maybe Kikyo felt embarrassed having a hanyou traveling with her; the very thing she was protecting the jewel against. InuYasha sneered, as he lept over hills and pistoned off of tree branches to increase his speed.

_Maybe it's best I **don't** follow them, if she's having such a grand old time, her and that disgusting bandit._

_"InuYasha! Lord InuYasha!"_ a tiny little voice cried from far off in the distance, and his ear pricked, turning towards the sound. InuYasha paused, and looked out the woods, and towards the source of the sound, which was back the way he came.

 _"Help! The bandits are attacking the village!"_ Kaede cried, and InuYasha turned around and ran towards the sound, he leaped as quickly as he could, becoming just a flash of red and silver as he hurried back to Kaede. When he got there, he was startled by the strong scent of blood, and the bandage wrapped around Kaede's face, concealing her right eye. She hung nearly sideways off her horse, which was panting and pawing at the earth as if anxious.

"Kaede! What happened?!" He shouted, and caught the little girl, hefting her up in his arms. His face showed his worry, his brows creasing in the center as Kaede looked up at him, blinking her one eye weakly.

"Onigumo's men... they dug up their swords, and now they're ransacking the town, taking women, k-killing everyone..." She said meekly, then made a tired sob, and grasped the robe of the fire rat as InuYasha held her tightly and growled.

"They'll pay for that, they'll all pay!" He snarled, then slapped the horse on the backside back to town, and took off faster than any horse, holding Kaede tightly in his arms as he hurried back, his heart racing frantically in his chest; both with his fear, and his animosity that increased tenfold now for Onigumo.

~•o•O•o•~


	5. Defiled Destiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some graphic content, including sexual situations, murder, rape/fetish, and other disturbing elements.

**~o•O•o~**

Blunt cut, long raven black hair laid across her creamy smooth back, as Kikyo dropped her white robe and let it flutter down and settle down around her ankles.

 _What am I doing? Why?_ She thought, as the gentle hands of the old seamstress assisted her into her new garments, tucking her away securely, tying straps deftly, before a man came and stood behind the thin bamboo paper shoji for privacy, and cleared his throat, holding a long bolt of fabric.

"The Lord Onigumo has requested Lady Kikyo be dressed in these garments," He said, as Kikyo turned to see the seamstress take them from behind the door, and her heart raced.

_Lord and Lady... as if we are married!_

"My, he must think highly of ye, Miko." The elderly woman cackled, as she came before Kikyo, and presented the garment. "Purple dye is expensive... and butterflies, for royalty. Even the flowers match your pretty name. Isn't that charming?"

Kikyo's heart froze in her chest as she eyed the delicate patterns on the fabric, and a lump rose in her throat as she nodded, accepting.

"Yes...I will wear it. And, please. Call me Kikyo." She said softly, and closed her eyes.

**~o•O•o~**

Onigumo slid his sword back into the sheath at his waist, smiling slightly as he observed himself in the full length mirror. Regal, refined, intimidating. He thought of himself, with a smirk, in the black robe with orange and green flourishes, and an indigo half robe overtop. He had spared no expense clothing himself and Kikyo, and he also made sure that their clothing did not clash, for whatever reason. He'd entertained the shopkeeper's simple mistake in speech, and indulged him in thinking that Kikyo were his wife, or that he were courting her, and the shopkeep made no question, he went along with it as it were customary, then catered to Onigumo's every whim, and found the perfect garment that would suit and flatter Kikyo's fair skin and hopefully, please her.

He heard a small shuffle, and turned quickly, hearing the soft steps she made towards him. "Onigumo?" She said softly, gazing at his back, his broad shoulders beneath a curtain of his wavy dark locks. He turned quickly, and took in the sight of her as she covered part of her face shyly with her hair, and held down the skirt, though it came down to past her knees, she couldn't help but feel overexposed with her calves bared in such a way. Her robe was white at the shoulders, with a gradual shift in color, to periwinkle blue, lavender, then violet at the bottom, with red butterflies, and Kikyo flowers falling from her shoulders in small petals, then grew to large blossoms at the hem, with a red obi, and a purple tie on it.

"I couldn't possibly.. walk _outside_ like this... I'll be stared at." She said in a low whisper, and he shook his head.

"I'll be with you." He said, and came forward, moving her hair out of her face so that he could see her, as she looked up, with faint pink at the apples of her cheeks, he took her hand and reassured her with a nod.

"Don't worry, Kikyo. No-one will find anything odd about your appearance. You're a young lady, this is the _natural_ way for you to dress." He said kindly and she nodded, pulling her hand away.

"Thank you, but you didn't need to spend the extra coin on me, I will likely return to my robes once I go home. That is what's natural for _me_." She said, swallowing down her emotions, and turning away, her head ducked low in her bashfulness as she walked out of the shop, and he followed.

"Say, Kikyo.. surely you're hungry, we should eat something with more sustenance than fat little sparrows." He said, nudging her, and she blushed furiously, recalling the way he'd picked her up to fetch them where her arrow had pinned them to the wall. Onigumo blushed for another reason, and looked away, remembering the brief accidental peek up her skirt.

"Fine, but that's it afterwards, we have to return to the village. Having been gone this long, I'm surprised InuYasha hasn't come sniffing around." She said, taking his offered elbow hesitantly and gripping his bicep as he held it out for her, she felt vulnerable in such light garments, her bow was left attached to the horse's saddle at the stables, but Onigumo at least had a sword. Not that any man would make a pass at _her._

"What do you want to eat?" He said, pulling her along a little faster, as they came into the market and she looked around quickly, feeling the heat from the many open air vendors all around, as fresh food sizzled, cooked over an open flame. One vendor sautéed meat and vegetables in his hot frying pan, drizzling oil into it and stirring it quickly. Her stomach growled, but it was much too hot to eat fried food.

"Something cold," She said, flinching back from the possibility of grease splatter burning her. Onigumo reflexively put his arm around her shoulders to protect her and smiled, walking her over to a familiar stall, where he pointed and she looked over the glass covered contents of the stall on ice eagerly, licking her lips just slightly as they gestured to the vendor which items they would like to take, putting them into a wooden box with glossy black paint. They thanked the vendor, and Kikyo thanked Onigumo, as she looked up at him curiously. Somehow, he knew his way around this town as well, but they had never **once** crossed paths?

"We should eat this quickly before it gets warm, come on Kikyo, I have a secluded place we can go." He said quickly, pulling her out of the way of a crowd of people as she stumbled a small amount, made more shy and flighty by their current predicament. Kikyo tugged naggingly at his hand on her shoulder; wishing he wouldn't drape it over her as if they were drunks stumbling through an alley, but she had to admit... it felt _nice_. For a fleeting moment, she gave into the fantasy that they were ordinary people; just another couple walking affectionately close, as she rested her head on his chest, and felt the sensation of going downhill, away from the bustling city, and down a long, shady dirt path. Kikyo opened her eyes, finding herself somewhat sleepy, then shook her head, pushing herself away from him.

Onigumo looked at her with a curious eye, as Kikyo pulled away from him as if burnt. He felt hurt; but tried not to dwell on it, he understood that she had respect for herself, and boundaries; but, he wished she would allow herself the small comfort that felt so nice, with her in his arms. She turned to look at him speculatively, almost suspicious as he was lost in his thoughts.

"Where are we going?" She said abruptly, and that snapped him out of it, and he took a deep inhale, and sighed, tilting his head towards the grassy hill, where they would sit beneath a large maple tree, with bright yellow and green star-shaped leaves. She nodded, and followed him up the hill, pausing to take his offered hand, and climb up to the summit. The shadows trembled, flecks of sunlight dancing throughout and making a motley of light on the ground, as sitting in the cool shade felt comfortable compared to the hot sun.

"This is just a place I like to go when I want to be alone, away from all the noise." He said, and opened the bento box. Onigumo handed Kikyo a pair of chopsticks, and set the box on his lap for them to share, as they sat close beside one another.

"When have _you_ ever come here? I've never seen you in town on my many trips." She said, and took a cucumber roll between the prongs, biting into it as she waited for him to answer.

"Well, I've traveled all across these lands, My Lady. Perhaps we were just not meant to meet, until _now_." He said, and took a bite. Kikyo watched him curiously, the stick lingering in her mouth as she watched him, and his eyes flickered back to hers, amused by the way she seemed lost in place, with a far-away gaze.

"Kikyo?" He said, and touched her arm. She pulled the stick away quickly; feeling embarrassed. She lowered her gaze, hiding her eyes with her bangs as she quickly took a large slice of sweet crab meat, and put it into her mouth to give herself an excuse to not answer. Onigumo observed her, then did the same, not wishing to press her patience. A while later, the box was empty, and they simply stared out at the open field around them, the wild wheat, and flowers swaying around them, creating a sweet, earthy fragrance.

"Do you believe in...? Nevermind." She said quickly, shaking her head, dismissing her own question. Onigumo paused, gulping and looked up. "Believe in what?" He asked, showing her his attentive gaze, that he hoped was welcoming to her questions.

"Forget it, you said you are not a spiritual man. You would think it was foolish." She said, flapping her hand and laughing nervously. Onigumo smiled, he wanted to entertain her. He set aside the empty box, and turned to face her.

"Tell me, I'm an open book. Talk to me as if I were spiritual, perhaps it would resonate." He said, and she sighed, shaking her head.

"Alright, but this is nothing _that_ deep. Just a child's game. A game of fate." She smirked, a playful light in her eyes. Kikyo looked down, and searched the grass for a blade of wild wheat, and found two. Onigumo looked on, very curious as she tied the two stems together.

"Ok, if we were destined to meet, we will both pull off the wheat. If one of us is destined with another, the other will fall, and we shant ever meet again once we meet our destined soulmate." She smiled, playfully, and he hummed with interest.

"Oh? Kikyo, you think of me so kindly? _Flatterer_. What if your soulmate is InuYasha? Does that mean you'll give birth to a litter of pups?" He teased, and she shook her head, grimacing.

" _Onigumo!_ That's _rude_. This is just a game! Now, take this end." She said, and he took the end, frowning a moment, for a second he felt like he didn't want to play this game. He didn't need to imagine Kikyo in the place of Reika, though she was gone, dead to him, Kikyo would only hurt him, and run to InuYasha just like Reika and the half-demon.

"I'm not so sure I like this game." He said, and frowned, loosening his hand.

"Oh, come now! It's _child's_ play." Kikyo urged, and he found it hard to resist the enthusiasm in her warm, almond brown eyes. "Fine, but if we both break, then I get to choose the next game." He said, grinning wryly, and Kikyo's cheeks reddened.

"That won't happen, you'll fall back on your _ass_." She sneered, then her eyes widened as she realized her slip.

"Foul-mouthed little miko!" He admonished, in a devilish whisper, and she giggled, then placed both hands on the stalk to pull it with all her might. Onigumo did the same, meeting her eyes with his own russet ones in a challenge.

"Ok, on three, we pull, got it?" She said, and he nodded.

"One... two... three!" They both pulled the slippery blade of wheat, and immediately, she fell back, and Onigumo did too, still holding his portion. They both laughed, and sat up, then inspected their results. He held the majority of the stalk, whereas Kikyo had none.

"Show me your hands." He said, and she hid them behind her back, shaking her head, looking reluctant.

"Kikyo...?" He said, leaning forth as she tucked in her chin, shaking her head in refusal to show him her end.

"No. I hate this game!" She suddenly cried out, and he pulled her hands free, and found the shedded blade of wheat torn to pieces in her palm. Onigumo frowned, picking it up, and tossing it.

"Who cares about some dumb game, Kikyo. See why this was foolish? Now you're destined to a fate that you didn't **ask** for." He said, dropping her hands.

"W-Why? What was yours?" She said, her eyes large with her childish innocence, as she slightly hiccuped in her throat. He looked behind him, to where it was discarded, and picked it up, quickly cutting off the wheat with his nail before she could see, and showed her the stalk.

"Oh! Onigumo, yours broke too?" She smiled, and her eyes lit up with gladness.

"Yes." He nodded, setting it down, biting his cheek.

"That means we'll be friends forever." She said softly, and he looked up, smirking.

"... _Friends?"_ He questioned, tilting his head. Kikyo's smile faltered, and she laughed softly.

"Well, that's all we ever **could** be, Onigumo... _Unless_ , I.." She said, and her hand went to her chest, and his eyes flickered down, to where she fiddled with a pretty lilac gem on a chain of white bone shards. His blood pressure rose as her nervous fiddling with the jewel revealed a soft crevasse in her exposed bosom, and his eyes traveled back up her long, delicate throat slowly, then back to her face. _"Unless...?"_ He whispered, and inched forward on his hands and knees, until Kikyo leaned back on one hand. She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes concealing her tears from him.

"Unless, I were to wish to be an ordinary woman, and wish away this **wretched** jewel... Either that, or if fate has its way, wish for... InuYasha to be human." She whispered, and her words made no sense to him, _wish? Wishing to **who**?_ His breathing began to grow frantic, as he stroked the soft hair on the back of her head to soothe her.

"But, you don't _have_ to do anything you don't **want** to, Kikyo! To me, you are more than just ordinary. You are extraordinary. You don't _have_ to be with InuYasha if he doesn't want you! Be with **me**. I _do_ want you, Kikyo..." He whispered huskily, and Kikyo gasped as she looked down his robe and saw the grooves of his muscle, and dark hair trailing down his center that made a sudden tingle in her belly, as Onigumo's hand travelled down her hair, and to the small of her back, very carefully, slowly as he inched his way over her, and she looked up, grasping his shoulder for support.

"Onigumo.." She sighed, and squeezed her eyes shut, the tears falling down her cheeks, as she pulled on the chord of the necklace, and it broke, and fell into the grass between them. He scooped her into his arms, and pulled her to his body all in one swift movement, and held her, his face buried in her hair as Kikyo gasped, and held onto him, pressing her cheek into his shoulder.

"We cannot... we can only be friends.." She whispered, and gripped his shoulder. Onigumo's breath was hot in her ear, as he wrapped another hand around her, gripping her hip, and pressed her legs to his side, avoiding pressing himself between them as the summer heat made his mind swim with heady fantasies, and a bead of sweat rolled down his spine, as he took in the scent of her throat, lightly spiced with her own perspiration as her breath came out quickly in gasps and shudders, the sweat between her thighs making them slide, as Onigumo fell atop her, and they parted, as they met, nose to nose.

"I don't feel like you are destined to be a friend, not when I feel this desire for you, Kikyo... I could take you, far from here... we can go wherever you wish, if you wished to be my wife, I'd never leave you left wanting for my affection..." He breathed, and Kikyo felt heat flooding through her from her fingers, to her toes as the fabric between them became damp, and she felt his firmness pressing onto her, and rubbing her in a way that made her mewl, gripping his back desperately.

"Make me your wife then," She panted, and his eyes lit with surprise, then his face lowered, watching her eyes, as they closed, and she waited for him to kiss her. He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, pulling back, her sweet lips parted, and she arched her hips up, her yukata skirt rising, and gathering around her hips as Onigumo moved between her legs to kiss her again, tenderly caressing her lips with his, as his hardness became more evident to her, his robe fell open and the thin fabric of his fundoshi rubbed on hers teasingly as his hot tongue slipped languidly into her mouth, and hers touched his; tentatively, before he gyrated against her again, teasing her heat with his pressure, and Kikyo moaned, opening her mouth wider as her hips bucked unconsciously, and moisture oozed from her from his touch, lit on fire by his kiss.

"Kikyo," He panted, and kissed her throat, as she gasped and squealed, her body washed in pleasurable warmth, as she grew greedy for his touch, and greedy to touch him, stroking his upper body, his abdomen, and biceps. His large hands groped her breasts, massaging them as he rocked his girth along her parted lips, and the fabric became drenched, hot from friction as she panted, feeling herself throbbing there, she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Forget about the gods, and fate...for once, just let me be a woman, Onigumo.. _.please_.." She whimpered, and he pulled back from nibbling her throat, and gulped, looking down at the dishevelled woman, as she looked down and grasped his erection, her other hand on her flushing cheek as she held it in her hand lightly, and stroked.

" ..Ah...Are you sure?" He said, and she nodded, biting her lip. Onigumo trailed his fingers up her exposed thigh, and to the inside of her lily white flesh, making her shiver from his touch, as she slowly stroked him. He kissed her sternum, and found her hard nipple through the fabric, and mouthed it carefully, as his hand travelled up, and stroked the thin fabric clinging to her flushed, pink labia. She jerked in reaction to his feather light touch; whimpering, and he shushed her, pressing one finger down the center, and stroking, finding her hardened bud, and rolling it beneath his fingers as he sucked her nipple through the fabric, feeling hesitant to bare her out in the open, though his groin ached for her, the motions of her hand causing more tension, his erection taut up against his abdomen as he watched the pleased faces she made, and how she writhed on the ground beneath him.

"Onigumo...!" Kikyo whimpered, and looked down with pleading eyes full of need, and he nodded, and pulled her cotton thong away, then returned to her lips, massaging hers with his, before easing them open with his darting tongue, as he felt down her thick thatch of black hair, then the smoothness below, as his fingers grazed her glistening bud, and touched her carefully, wetting his fingers as he stroked her heated entrance, then pinched her clit between her fingers, and made her mewl, fluid flowing down her parted thighs, as she gripped his shaft harder.

He grit his teeth and groaned, then released the pressure, then pinched gently again, as she moaned into his mouth, he found her opening, and dipped one finger in; curling it up against her grooves, and rubbing his palm against her clitoris as their mouths parted, and she panted, her eyes hazy as he inserted another finger, and pumped them faster, making her walls throb around him, she squeezed her legs around his arm and cried out, then was silenced by his kiss, as he prepared her for him, reaching down to make an opening for his erection to slip out, the head shiny and flushed with engorged blood at the tip as he moved her hand away, and pressed the bulb to her, stroking it up and down to wet himself, before pressing against her entrance.

Kikyo clutched his back, her legs quivering as he pushed forth, the exposed parts of them from the folds on their clothing meeting salaciously, as his girth pushed inside her, invading her tightly clenched core, as Kikyo whimpered, opening her legs wider for him, until at last he was able to sink inside, and she could feel his heat curving up inside her, pushing through her tight pillowy ridges, and connecting, with a small spike of pain as he took her virginity. He sighed, his mouth parted, as he looked down at Kikyo, a beautiful mess beneath him, and began moving, slowly, allowing her to lubricate him as she grew used to his girth, and he bent one of her legs up, and slowly drove into her, each thrust hitting her sweet spot.

Kikyo cried out and gripped his shoulders, her body hot and tingling with the new sensations that made her toes curl, as Onigumo sunk down and pressed deep inside her and throbbed, as their mouths met; and imitated the same movement, she began to feel her walls moving with his deep thrusts that hit her belly, and made her moan hoarsely. Liquid washed over him, drenching his groin, and making him glide in and out with ease, the wetness making him slippery, his flushed pink testes gently hitting her bottom as they made love, Onigumo held Kikyo's long pale leg over his shoulder, against his chest, and stared into her eyes, pushing his weight down into her, as she stared back with lust.

"Kikyo... I'm going to make you forget all about that _half-demon_... I'll make you mine soon...You're **mine**." He groaned, feeling his groin tightening, as she tensed beneath him, and gasped, _"Yes!"_ as his thrusts became swifter, and the friction inside increased. Kikyo moaned heavily as he hit her cervix, and struck there, causing her climax to come over her fast and hard; her body shaking as she cried out loud, her orgasm splashing out between them. His thrusts grew more passionate and uncontrolled, messy; her body grinding sweetly against his, as Kikyo melted into pleasure beneath him.

Onigumo panted heavily, staring down into her eyes as he felt his orgasm building, and then blinding, as it gushed out, and he connected deep with her, hitting her cervix hard and lodging there firmly, holding her still as her womb swelled with his heat, then shuddering as he pulled back, and it flowed out of her with a gush, and he thrust back again; dripping with his own essence, and shook as he rode out his climax inside of her, her walls tightening and milking out the hot liquid, until he quivered, and pulled back quickly, his eyes wide as he stared down at her, panting, her eyes wide, gazing back at him. They stared at one another for a long moment, breathing heavily, until Kikyo spoke.

"What have we done?" She whispered, and Onigumo was breathless, shaking his head. "We haven't done anything wrong, Kikyo..." He panted, as Kikyo looked up to him; the answer was the opposite in her mind, and she suddenly cried, "I've sinned!" He looked at her with panicked question flashing through his eyes.

"It's ok, Kikyo!" He reassured, but she began to sob violently, he grabbed her and held her tightly in his arms, holding her firmly, as he stared at the broken blade of wheat on the ground, and felt as if he had stolen something very sacred; both from Kikyo, and the vengeful Gods he feared. Onigumo pulled back, and wiped her tears, covering her nudity, and his own, and shushing her, as he pulled her tightly to his chest and rocked her, staring up at the sky in wonder, as the light hit the jewel, and sparkled.

The string of fate, as they would have it... had been cut in two. Destiny, altered.

**~o•O•o~**

The terrible screams grew more intense as InuYasha ran, holding the sobbing Kaede in his arms, he could see the village cresting over the hill, and the black smoke of blazing fires with it. The cries of the villagers, and the sound of slicing swords rang out, as he leapt up into the air, and landed, hard on the packed soil with a puff of dust around his red robes.

 _"InuYasha! InuYasha help us!"_ A villager cried, as they saw through the opening between a bandit's legs, before that bandit plunged his sword in her belly.

"Hey! **You**!" He growled, and Kaede scrambled away quickly, running towards the temple blindly, where she could lock herself safely inside. The bandit turned and sighted InuYasha, and chuckled, waving his bloody sword in the air.

"Oh, everyone **stop** what you're doing! The half-demon is here to _save_ the day!" He shouted, laughing, as the other bandits finished teasing their victims, and simply slaughtered them, as others made women cry out from inside, where they were being brutalized.

InuYasha ran, not wanting to waste any time, and knocked the sword from his hand. He hesitated; as the bandit dropped it, his hands shaking as the half-demon loomed over him. Then, InuYasha punched him, knocking him out. He didn't want to have to kill all these bandits, but maybe he would have to, if they didn't stop.

_Not like they don't deserve it!_

He thought, snarling, and began finding bandits, taking them out one by one, rescuing the villagers as he knocked out whatever bandits he could find. InuYasha came inside a small house, and came upon a bandit hunched over a young woman with long black hair, roughly mounting the pregnant woman as he held a blade to her throat. InuYasha paused, not sure how to handle the tense situation.

"Get offa' her, now, before I slice you to bits!" He growled, and the man looked up, and grinned, only moving more aggressively as the woman yelped and moaned hoarsely, then turned and looked into InuYasha's eyes with a slaw-jawed, moon-eyed gaze. InuYasha couldn't help the frightening imagery he saw, as she became Kikyo in his mind, and the man, Onigumo, as he grunted, she grunted and panted with him, jerking her hips up violently.

 _"Yes, yes oh!"_ She moaned, and pulled him down by his backside so the filthy bandit could spill his seed into her as she convulsed, staring into InuYasha's eyes, and grinning with satisfaction. An empty look came over the woman's eyes, as the bandit stood and dropped her, pulling up his trousers.

"What, you want er' next? Or you just like to watch?" He chuckled, but InuYasha could only stare at the woman's face, as she gulped and looked at him, licking her lips and spreading her legs, showing him her soiled genitals, oozing with milky fluids. InuYasha's heart hammered in his chest, and his claws extended, as he quickly whirled around and slashed the bandit's throat, instantly killing him.

He covered his nose with his sleeve and looked away quickly, ready to leave, not before hearing the woman say, "Won't you give me a happy ending, beautiful demon? Mate me before you slay me." She whispered, and he growled, clenching his fist, his nails digging into his palm, blood dripping down his fingers.

"No. You're not dead yet, just dirty." He growled, and the woman chuckled softly, as he heard a strange wet noise, and her soft moaning.

"Yeah, I'm dirty, soil me, make me your bitch..." She panted, as the disgusting squelching sound became faster.

"No, **stop** it! _Kikyo!"_ He screamed, then flinched angrily, and the blades of blood flew at her, slicing her body into four halves.

InuYasha froze, staring as her body abruptly lost it's liveliness, sinking down as if deflating, her blood pulsing out in gallons, as he removed his sleeve from his face and was hit with the overwhelming scent of blood and bodily fluids.

Then, he gasped, as he could see the infant sliding out, sliced cleanly in half, and screamed, backing out of the hut, and into the street; thoroughly traumatized by what he had seen and done.

"This is **wrong**! I... I can't kill humans... I'm not like those other demons!" He cried out, and stumbled backwards, and felt something behind him stopping him. He turned, and was startled to see the rest of the bandits all grouped around, and even village men, and other bandits he didn't recognize.

"Demon, half-demon, you're all the same!" A man sneered, poking him with his blade.

"You're no better than us!" Another shouted, and InuYasha disagreed, shaking his head violently.

"No! I'm no lowly bandit like you! I may be a demon, but I don't hurt innocent people!"

He shouted, as his eyes burned with his anguish, bloodshot from holding back his tears.

"Well, you did one hell of a job on that little whore in there, did you know she let the _entire_ bandit troupe **fuck** her? We weren't done having our fun with that filthy little _slut_ , Kayako." A large bandit chuckled, his fat, hairy gut oozing out from his armour, shiny, and as he laughed, it jiggled.

"Oh! Look at me! _Tee hee!~"_ He mocked, puffing out his fat belly and rubbing it as if he were pregnant, "I'm sweet little Kayako! Oh no! I'm diced up into little bitty pieces!" He cackled cruelly, as the others all chuckled as well, "I hope you had your fun with the wench before you dismembered her, or else it'll have all been a waste!" Another shouted, as InuYasha's eyes stung, and tears rolled down his cheeks in hot streaks.

"She's not... She's **not** a whore!" He growled, his entire body shaking as they all surrounded him, taunting and teasing, jabbing him with their swords, drawing blood as he stood, stiffly.

"Oh, that's right! You're always licking at the heels of the pretty priestess, Kikyo~!" They all laughed at him, making a mockery of his affection for Kikyo, their relationship that was pure; precious, even.

"Our old leader took off with her now, so I doubt you'll ever see her again!" One shouted, "Yeah! Onigumo seemed to take a _real_ interest in that one!" They all agreed. "He never takes women for himself, not since Reika." InuYasha growled, panting heavily, snarling as his face darkened below his thick bangs.

"Well, she ain't fit to be a miko now, I bet!" They all laughed, and their new leader stepped forth, donning shiny red armour with chipped paint, and lanced InuYasha through the thigh with a spear.

"Fight back, mutt! He just stands there and **takes** our stabbing, _unbelievable!"_ He scoffed, pulling out the spear. InuYasha moved quickly, and grabbed the spear, and drove it into the leader's armour, up into his ribcage, and hefted him up, making the man slide down as he twitched.

 **"Eat _this!"_** He snarled, and jerked the lance harder, as it resurfaced from the bandit leader's throat, in a bloody spike, and he spat blood out from his mouth with a bloody gurgle, and croaked out a long death rattle as InuYasha tossed him to the ground, blood still bubbling from his lips.

The bandits all backed away, frightened by the violent display. InuYasha looked up, and gave them all a sideways smirk, his fang jutting over his lip, as his eyes became red with turquoise pupils, and purple demonic markings appeared on his face.

 **"You're all dead,"** He snarled, in a seething demonic voice, and leapt forward, slashing all of them violently with his claws, blood splashing in the air as he took them down by the dozens, slaughtering them unmercifully; made a beast by the demon blood awakened inside, as the heavy scent of human blood, and the fragile state of his lacerated body caused him to be forced into survival mode; which had only one possible outcome. And that was to kill anything and everyone around him to preserve himself, as his mental awareness became clouded by bloodlust, and his body became instantaneously healed, his physical strength dramatically increased.

The bandits run in terror, but InuYasha only continues to pursue them, and they have no chance for escape, as he uses his arms like slicing swords, his claws beheading, dismembering, and disengorging hearts all in swift, heavy blows, that send splashes of hot red blood into the air, drenching him, but this no longer bothers InuYasha. The shackles of his half-human heart have fallen away, leaving him devoid of empathy, even as the bandits pitifully beg for their lives.

 _"Please, don't kill me! I have family at home! My wi-"_ He was cut off, as InuYasha slashed him, and his face fell away as it was separated from his brain cavity, and he fell forward. InuYasha slowed a moment, huffing in the coppery scent of freshly spilt blood, and rumbling with an animalistic purr as he licked his fingers clean.

"InuYasha, what have you become? Nothing but a beast; A killing thing." A smooth, baritone voice interrupted his claw cleaning, as InuYasha jumped back, and snarled.

" **Rrr... Sesshomaru!** What do _you_ want...?"

Sesshomaru stepped forth, looking down at the multitudes of slain humans all around, and scoffing.

"That half-human vessel you are in cannot hold the power of our father's blood, you are nothing but a wild mongrel, driven to insanity." He said slowly, calmly as he pulled his sword from his sheath with one hand, and pointed it at InuYasha, who flinched.

"I must put you down, brother. But first, show me what you're capable of, and perhaps we can make your final moments more... interesting." He said coolly, with a laughing tone, and surged forth, as InuYasha lept, snarling.

**~o•O•o~**


	6. Choice or Chance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> This isn't the end, don't worry. More will be coming soon. I hope that my readers will return, please leave your thoughts, and favorite and follow if you haven't done so already. Things will be taking very dramatic turns, I hope I can keep your attention. If you enjoy this, you may also enjoy my story, Kikyo, Captured.

**~•o•O•o•~**

The sweltering heat of summer caused her head to swim, as Kikyo stood up shakily from Onigumo's arms, and looked around herself anxiously.

"I have to... go home!" She stuttered out, and backed away from him. Onigumo stood up quickly, grabbing the sacred jewel and putting it in his pocket before grasping her by the arms desperately.

 _"Kikyo, **stay** with me!" _He whispered, and she struggled to get out of his grip.

"No- I must, I must go and perform purification rites... I must go home to Kaede!" She said sternly, then shoved off him. Onigumo was left stunned as she whirled around and stormed off to return to her horse, holding her colorful yukata close around her body.

He gulped, feeling his throat had become parched, and shouted: "I won't let you go! Kikyo, I **must** be with you!" He cried, feeling his throat tightening at his words. She turned back sharply, and glared at him with her hardened chocolate eyes that shimmered in the light.

"If you must, follow me. But do not think that I am all _yours_ to claim. What happened here today... was a slip in faith." She said, then turned back, leaving him to feel the ache in his heart from her hurtful words. Onigumo lowered his head and closed his eyes, thinking back to Reika, her betrayal to him with the half demon, and knowing that he could not allow history to repeat itself. He would follow Kikyo, even if that meant she would spite him now, he would make it his duty to never again allow a half-demon to steal away the woman he had so quickly grown affected by.

Kikyo found her horse, and hiked up her skirts, not caring as the villagers stared at her, quickly throwing herself up onto the saddle with skill. She found her quiver, and slung it over her shoulder. She had gotten carried away, swept up into the fantasy where for just a fleeting moment, she was simply an ordinary woman, and he, an ordinary man.

**~•o•O•o•~**

Ancient floorboards creaked, as Kaede curled into a dark corner of the old temple. She hid while the terrible sounds outside grew even more frightening, clutching the packing to her bleeding eye, her entire body shaking with her shock. The bandits she had been so wary of had taken their opportunity, and attacked, killing most if not all of the villagers, besides a small few children, their parents, and elders huddled in the temple with Kaede, an elderly woman that had been beaten mercilessly sobbed softly as her daughter tried to comfort her. Kaede watched through a small hole in a knot of wood, and one brown eye widened, taking in the sight of the demons outside fighting.

Sesshomaru backed up slightly as InuYasha fell to the ground in a sodden heap, blood leaking through his shredded robe of the fire rat, and spilling on the ground. They had fought violently for longer than Kaede could bear to watch, as InuYasha had relentlessly slashed his claws at Sesshomaru, only to have the older brother dodge them swiftly, taking the length between InuYasha's overdrawn attacks, and using it to deliver heavy blows with his fist, backhanding him with his poison claws and sending InuYasha tumbling backwards, only to make the same desperate attempts again and again, until they got to where they were now.

"You won't be able to stand much longer now, dear brother. Your fragile mortal skin cannot contain our father's demon blood that stirs within you, it's a pity, really, to waste such refined blood on a _half-breed_ like you." He sneered callously, covering his nose with one white and red sleeve to mask the pungent odor of bloodshed.

InuYasha slowly got to his feet, his legs trembling, and his head lowered, his teal and red eyes concealed by wild masses of silvery white hair, partially stained ruby.

" **Rrrr...rrgh... Sessho...maru..** " InuYasha snarled, nearly incoherent, and then pounced, leaping into the air with incredible agility, claws poised to attack as Sesshomaru looked on, his aristocratic nose wrinkling from over his sleeve with the temptation to transform, and battle his brother to the end, youkai to half-youkai. He secretly smirked, forming a glowing green poison whip in his hand, and lashing out with it violently, ensnaring InuYasha by his throat. He hissed, clawing at his throat and bloodying himself further in desperation to remove the burning whip, as Sesshomaru only coiled it tighter, pulling him closer.

"It's time at last InuYasha, I will **end** your pathetic existence!" Sesshomaru snarled, and pulled the whip tight, making InuYasha's eyes flash white a moment before closing, his growling turned to gagging, helpless in Sesshomaru's tight ensnarement.

"No! You can't! _InuYasha!"_ A voice suddenly rang out, tensing Sesshomaru's grip on his brother's choking throat. He turned his face slightly, narrowing his eyes on the horse rider behind him. He snorted out her fetid air with a scoff, smelling the heavy scent of human on her, not recognizing Kikyo as a priestess in her purple and red kimono covered with falling Kikyo flowers. She smelt, and looked like a newly wed bride to him that had just left her lover's bed.

"And who are you to InuYasha, a human wench? Why am I not surprised he would entertain the likes of _you?"_ Sesshomaru sneered, dropping InuYasha carelessly to the ground, dissipating his whip in favor of nothing other than his claws to do away with the human woman. Kikyo was silenced, how did she answer him? Were they just friends now, or were they something _more?_

Sesshomaru picked up InuYasha by the scruff of his neck, and struck a merciless blow to the back of his head, making InuYasha drop with a grunt of pain, limp and bloodied. His face turned up to Kikyo, then his teal eyes turned amber upon seeing her, one hand weakly reaching out to her.

"Ki...kyo..." He rasped, before falling faint.

Kikyo watched, her heart sinking with dread as InuYasha lay bleeding on the ground, her face growing so pallid and washed of vitality, that Sesshomaru chuckled softly with his amusement, slowly sliding his sword from his waist.

"It's worse than I thought, not only do you reek of another male, it appears you have misguided affections for my brother."

Kikyo gasped, then her features hardened with anger, braving his hurtful words, no matter how truthful they were.

" **Why** have you done this to InuYasha? _Who are you?!"_ Kikyo snapped, pulling an arrow from her quiver, and aiming her bow at Sesshomaru. She saw the bodies all around, and how the white haired demon gestured with one hand at all the massacre surrounding them, scoffing.

" I, Sesshomaru, followed the foul stench of the pitiful half-demon InuYasha for miles. What I came upon was him, causing this massacre. Clearly, he has no perceived tact; or he would've chosen a demon female. He is just as foolish as our father, and he will only succumb to the same fate as he, dying over a human woman. I shall take him out of this world, do you wish to **join** him?" Sesshomaru seethed, his eyes flashing red in the corners, his hair, floating upwards from his back as Kikyo jumped off her horse, and neared closer.

"Kikyo!" A man called, and his amber eyes, flashing crimson with rage honed in on Onigumo, riding desperately towards the village to stop Kikyo. She looked back quickly, turning her back on Sesshomaru and InuYasha, her arrow slowly loosening it's tension as she turned to see him.

"Onigumo... You shouldn't have followed me!" She said, clutching her bow. He jumped off his horse, and ran to her, pulling her back from Sesshomaru, holding her safely away as he pulled his katana free from his belt, posing his mirror-like to Sesshomaru's.

"Can't you understand what has happened? This is the price of playing with demons! Look what InuYasha has done here!" Onigumo scolded her, moving her forcefully back from Sesshomaru, as he simply stared; assessing the situation with reddened eyes, and contemplating if two mere humans, and an incapacitated half-demon were worth transforming over.

"This man is a liar! You would believe the words from his mouth, over mine?"

"Sister Kikyo! InuYasha did not do all this! It was the bandits! He was only trying to stop them!" Kaede called out, running towards them. Kikyo saw the bloody rag clutched to her face, and gasped, turning back quickly to Onigumo. His eyes widened with his surprise, and he backed up a step.

"My men...? You're telling me, _my_ men did all this? But, it's not _possible_.. I have never allowed that type of behavior, to pillage and **kill** undeserving villagers? It's... impossible.." Onigumo grit his teeth, shaking his head as Kikyo freed herself from his arms, and ran towards Kaede, dropping to her knees to hug her.

"Kaede! You **must** hide! It's still not safe here!" She said, holding her sister's face in her hands, to gently inspect her injury.

"How did this happen? Kaede, tell me the truth!" She said sternly, and Kaede gulped.

"It was a bandit. I'm _telling_ you the **truth**! InuYasha did not start killing the bandits until _they_ attacked him. Then he turned.. scary like that other one." Kaede pointed to Sesshomaru, and Kikyo nodded, understanding. "Good girl, now go and hide in the temple until I say it's safe." She whispered, and Kaede nodded quickly, turning away and stumbling towards the temple in her fear.

"Aren't we all in agreement, then?" Sesshomaru seethed, red tendrils swirling around his white hakama pants.

"Either way, it doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is, InuYasha will die." Sesshomaru hissed, pointing his blade down to the ground where InuYasha stared up lifelessly, only the red of his black lined eyes showing.

" **No**!" Kikyo shouted, and pulled her arrow back into position.

"Step back from him, **this instant,** or be purified by my sacred arrow!" Kikyo shouted with an immense rush of power, her kimono flying out around her as the arrow began to glow, Onigumo looking on at her in amazement. The arrow soared through the air, and struck Sesshomaru in his spiked demon armour, blasting away the steel, and making him drop his blade in anger. Sesshomaru's eyes widened, the irises turning teal, his face beginning to change and grow unnaturally, as he quickly began to transform. The red slashes under his eyes furrowed, and lengthened along his jaw, while his fangs began to sharpen, the air around him grew red with his youkai, then shot up into the sky, becoming a white orb of light, from which a thundering boom was heard, as he quickly enlarged, and landed one great paw onto the ground beside InuYasha.

 _"InuYasha!"_ Kikyo cried, surging forth towards his prone form before it could be crushed, but Onigumo jumped in front of her, holding his blade steady as he challenged the great dog demon. They stared up in amazement, as the dog demon turned to them, and growled, gnashing his sharp teeth. Onigumo readied his blade, and Kikyo her arrows, as Sesshomaru lept, making the old huts shake with the force of his weight. He swung his tail, and the roof of the temple was taken clean off, the people hiding inside, screaming as Sesshomaru turned, hearing their cries, and began to approach the temple.

" _Kaede!_ He'll kill the villagers inside!" Kikyo cried out, and Onigumo ran forward, and attempted to slash for him, but the blade scraped off, useless, and he just barely missed being bitten by Sesshomaru's teeth. A thick green miasma swirled out from his fangs, combined with poisonous purple saliva, that spilled, and splashed down to the ground, burning wherever it landed. The villagers screamed as the miasma dripped down, and they saw the red eyed demon staring down at them.

" **Sesshomaru**!" Kikyo shouted, catching his attention. She loosed an arrow, and shot him in the eye, making him rear back, howling in pain. Sesshomaru tried to rub his eye with his paw, shaking his head, removing the arrow. He squinted one eye shut and roared, infuriated by his injury.

The green mist swirled around Kikyo's legs, as she looked down, and seemed unharmed. Onigumo surged forth, covering his mouth with his sleeve from the pungent miasma.

"Stay back, Kikyo! His breath is poison! I have heard the tale of the young Lord of the Western Lands, all demons in his domain fear him, for he is a most powerful and legendary demon!" Onigumo hushed in her ear, and she shook him off, pushing him away forcefully with her aura. Onigumo was pushed back by a burst of electricity, the front of his kimono singed.

"Kikyo, I'm _only_ trying to _protect_ you!" He said, one hand over his heart where the skin was scorched.

"I don't **_need_** to be protected! My sacred arrows will purify this demon!" She shouted, and loosed an arrow ** _. "Strike!"_** She ordered, and Onigumo surged forth, jumping up, and attacking where the arrow landed, making Sesshomaru bellow out in agony, as the combined force of the blade, and Kikyo's sacred energy cut through his arm. Onigumo fell back in surprise, watching as the great demon howled, blood spraying from his limb in gallons, as Onigumo looked at his sword, and saw it glowing lilac. He turned to Kikyo, and saw she was panting, her energy nearly spent from imbuing his sword with her energy. He caught her before she could fall, and they watched, as Sesshomaru reverted back to his humanoid form, and flew away quickly, leaving his severed arm useless on the ground.

 _"InuYasha!"_ Kikyo cried, and ran out of his arms, and towards InuYasha, falling down to wrap her arms around him. Onigumo tensed, seeing her display of affection for the half demon, his fist clenched. Kikyo's arms glowed lilac, her hair floating upwards, as she used the last of her power to heal the most mortal of his wounds. Onigumo hesitated to stop her, knowing Kikyo's kind heart, he hoped it was only out of her goodness that she healed the half-demon, and not for love.

He flinched, feeling a heat burning in his pocket, and wrapped his fingers around a glowing jewel. It was magnificent; sparkling in his hand, as the sobs of Kikyo, and the other villagers could be heard, coming out at last to surround Kikyo, whom they saw as their savior. Onigumo stepped forth, seeing she had pulled back from InuYasha to embrace her sister. Her and Kaede sobbed, and Onigumo felt guilt twisting in his chest. If it weren't for him giving into Kikyo's flight of fancy, perhaps they would have returned in time to stop all this. Perhaps, InuYasha would have died fighting Sesshomaru. He took a sharp intake of breath, after thinking such a thing, and looked down at the object in his hand. It was glowing, but now swirls of black were coming up from within, and he quickly dropped it, allowing it to roll towards Kikyo.

"I believe this jewel is yours, Lady Kikyo. You may do with it, whatever you wish. I leave you, so that you may mourn your loss, but I will leave, with **just** this thought for you. If I take it, and you still choose a life with half-breed InuYasha, I will be tempted to come back, and steal you away from him, and perhaps even hurt _you_ in my anger. That's why I cannot allow myself to carry that cursed object. I leave it up to _you_ to decide what to do. I have loved you, and I will continue to love you... No matter what you choose." He said, lowering his gaze away from her in shame.

Kikyo was silent, taking the jewel. It quickly purified in her hand, and she clutched it to her chest.

"Thank you... Onigumo. I appreciate that you have given me this option, but... In light of the events here today, I am afraid your presence here is unwelcome. Please...you must leave me to mourn our dead. I wish to return to my duties now." She said, choking back a sob. Onigumo nodded solemnly, and turned away, an elderly woman watching, placed one hand on Kikyo's, and patted it.

"Be you _absolutely_ sure, Lady Kikyo? This man fought _bravely_ for your honour. If you take his hand in marriage, we will not be upset with you. This village has long been protected by your family, may be it time to move along to a new settlement, and start over. You should take his hand. Be _free."_ She urged, her small wrinkled hand clinging to Kikyo's with urgency. Onigumo had paused, listening for her response.

"Don't... don't be silly, Oba-San. I have too much work to do here. I couldn't simply _leave_ you to be with this man. Good luck, Onigumo. May you find peace in your travels." Kikyo said, unable to look back at him for fear he would see her tears.

"Farewell, Kikyo." He said softly, and with that, he left her, walking back down the dirt path he had come, about to mount his horse. Suddenly, a loud clanging was heard, and he turned, bewildered.

"Here, Lord Onigumo. These are yours. You should take them, to keep you safe." He looked down, and saw it was Kaede that was holding up his dragon helm. He nodded, and took it, along with the other armour she kindly helped him into, until he was fully suited.

"I thank ye, little girl." Onigumo said, kneeling down to brush her hand back from her eye. He smiled, and reached into the armour, pulling out a small medallion, and hovering it over her mutilated eye, where it covered the worst of it.

"This should make a suitable eye shield for you, Kaede." He said, allowing her to examine it.

"An iron tsuba?" Kaede questioned, taking the metal piece, with small engraved lines, and three cut outs.

"This sword guard came from the first sword I learned to use as a little boy. I would like to give this to you, as a token of my gratitude for your kindness." He said, and patted her head.

"Thank you, sir." She said softly, and held it close to her heart with both hands.

"Thank your sister, she is the one who taught you those morals. I'm sure one day, you will grow to be as strong and beautiful as she." He said gently, then turned, and jumped back up onto his horse, whipping the reins, and taking off with a thunder of hooves, the red tassel on his helm flying. Kikyo watched, cradling InuYasha's head in her lap, and sobbed at last, though she didn't know whom it was for, she felt her pain tenfold when Onigumo left; a man who she had barely known and yet, his soul seemed an old friend to her, but perhaps nothing more, as she stroked InuYasha's bangs back from his forehead.

"I'm so terribly sorry, InuYasha. I should have _never_ left you like this." She said, and kissed his brow. InuYasha opened his eyes slowly, and blinked, pulling himself quickly from her lap as he regained his consciousness.

"What's that _fetid_ stink?" InuYasha spat, covering his nose with a sleeve. Kikyo looked startled, her eyes wide as others looked around in their confusion.

"What stink?" Kaede asked innocently, and Kikyo urged InuYasha with her eyes to not reveal to Kaede that it was in fact the scent from Onigumo's lovemaking.

"You **_betrayed_** me, Kikyo? With that... bandit man?" He said, hurt evident in his voice.

"InuYasha, I- It was a _mistake!"_ She shouted, but he would have none of it, backing away from her.

"You chose him over me, admit it Kikyo, you don't want to be with me, a half-breed!" InuYasha cried out, his eyes wide, one hand clutching hard over his heart.

"I- I told you before, I _cannot!_ Not unless we were to use the jewel, to make you human. **Only** then." She whispered, and InuYasha furrowed his brow in anger at her.

"A **_human?!_** With no strength to protect you, what if Sesshomaru came back, would Onigumo save you **then**?" He questioned bitterly, watching how her features paled.

 _"InuYasha!"_ Kikyo cried, the villagers holding her back, as he turned, and ran away from her to collect his thoughts.

"InuYasha, _please!_ Let me explain!" She cried, but the others only shushed her.

"Shh, he is a half demon, that is how he wishes to stay, Lady Kikyo." A man said, holding her back.

"You should be wise not to fall for his demon tricks!" Another villager hissed, and she nodded, turning back from him.

"Let's count our losses. We should dig the graves before more demons come, attracted to the blood scent." She said lowly, hiking up her sleeves.

"But my Lady, what of your beautiful robe?" A young boy asked, tugging on the sleeve.

"I don't care. I'll **burn** it afterwards." She spat coldly, and stormed away from the others.

Kikyo's kind heart had been broken; she had lived as an ordinary woman for a day, and lost everything she'd taken for granted before. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

**~•o•O•o•~**


	7. Unmasked Past

The spring air brought with it a crispness as Kikyo swept off the steps of the temple, giving it one last cleansing before leaving, brushing away the dried up leaves of last year's fall now long passed. A priest appears below, making a blessing, as a young miko in red and white follows beside him, coming up to ring the bell, before they both slowly walk beneath the red Kagura Gate of the Gods. Kikyo's breath halts in her chest as they notice her, and she nods for them to come up the stone stairs. The Kannushi wears a jōe ensemble; white robes, and white trousers, with a small peaked black hat atop his hair called a tate-eboshi; as he is God's Employee. The miko walks close to him, and Kikyo wonders just briefly if they are married, as it is rare, but not unheard of for a Kannushi and shrine maiden to marry and have children. Kikyo's hand tightens on the broom as they come near, and she bows, them bowing in turn before coming up to the top step.

"Thank you so much for arriving with such haste. I trust you will take care of the grounds, as you know I am leaving to train my younger sister, who is becoming a miko as well." Kikyo said, and they smiled kindly at her, nodding in understanding as Kikyo took the shrine key on a red string, and handed it to the priest. Then, to the miko, she offered her the broom; and with it her responsibilities, and the girl took it; Kikyo's fingers clinging around the handle possessively.

"I will take good care of the grounds in your place, Lady Kikyo." The miko said softly, pulling on the broom, and Kikyo released it, bowing apologetically with her embarrassment.

"Of course, that is why I've asked you here. Thank you, I am forever grateful." She said, and felt a hand on her shoulder as the kannushi stopped her.

"We are not expected to be images of perfection. Buddha is forgiving, do not forget." He said softly, looking down at Kikyo with a wistful gaze; seeing her frightened interior beneath a stone exterior.

"Yes." Kikyo agreed, and nodded to him, leaving them to enter the temple and becoming acquainted with it, as she retrieved her bow and arrows, and came down the stairs. Kaede was sitting there waiting for her, swinging her legs back and forth as other village children surrounded her, asking questions about her upcoming journey.

"Will you come back with the claw of a demon for me?" One boy asked, and Kaede nodded.

"Ooh! I want a **giant _fang!"_** A girl said, and Kaede assured them she would try and gather some souvenirs from her adventure for them.

"Be careful what things you wish for. Some items bring evil with them." Kikyo said sternly, and Kaede turned back quickly, pleading with one large, brown eye.

"But sister, won't they be ok if you purify them? _Please._ I _already promised!"_ Kaede pleaded, and Kikyo sighed, frowning slightly.

"Fine, but nothing overly sharp. I don't want you bringing home anything that could cause bleeding." She said curtly, and Kaede nodded.

"A tiny scale! Or maybe a tuft of fur." Kaede bargained, and Kikyo relented.

"...I suppose that's fine." She responded, patting her sister on the back to signal that they needed to get going, shaking her head as the other children all looked excited to have relics from dead demons; something she couldn't quite put a finger on as to why it would be desirable, but they all seemed overjoyed by the aspect.

 _"Good luck, Kaede, we'll miss you!"_ The village children waved, and Kaede turned back, one hand holding tight to the green pack around her shoulders, as the other waved enthusiastically.

 _"Bye everyone! Be safe!"_ She said cheerfully, and they waved, before running off, giggling as they returned to playing. The elderly woman keeping an eye on them also waved, a sparkle in her eye as Kikyo nodded back to her. The two sisters turned away, then began their journey.

With the end of that eventful summer behind the sisters, fall and the long, cold winter had come and gone. They no longer saw the white haired half-demon sleeping on their roof any longer, besides his footprints in the snow, InuYasha had not made himself readily known. Kikyo and Kaede weathered the long winter alone, and now as Kikyo observed her sister, she noticed how Kaede had grown taller like a weed, the orange yukata she wore now showing her ankles, and the iron tsuba covering her eye a painful reminder of her failure to protect the village.

"Sister Kikyo, which path will we take?" Kaede asked, startling Kikyo out of her silent reverie. She looked at the fork in the road before her, one beaten path was well travelled; the same one she had gone down to gather herbs. The other much wider one was grassy, and covered by weeds, and overgrown tree roots.

"This one." Kikyo said softly, and used her long bow to move the weeds aside as they walked. They were taking a pilgrimage; an essential part of Kaede's training to be a shrine priestess. Their journey could take weeks, or even months before it was completed. They would travel to every shrine, and every stone buddha in japan that they could, and say their prayers. Not only that, but whatever demons they encountered on the way would help Kaede in her training to defend the jewel in Kikyo's absence. Not long after the disaster at the village, Kikyo had buried her pride and contacted the shinto priest to work at the temple, and his miko priestess came to join him, protecting the village while she was away. But, they did not know of the jewel. Kikyo had kept that precious knowledge secret from them, and she carried it on her person no matter where she went. She would never again allow it to leave her sight. And so, it rested safely, on a silver chain around her neck.

Kaede glanced up at her sister as they made their way down the path, noticing the glint of the lavender jewel against her snow white skin, admiring the sheen of her dark tresses against her crisp white hakama. Kaede lowered her face, sighing as she trudged on. She would never be as pretty and desired as Kikyo now, with her disfigured face. It was seen as a curse to Kikyo now to be so fair, she hid away her beauty by making her face stern, and never smiling at the village men ever again. Kikyo had been enduring purification rites which had made Kaede worry for her sister; she had even travelled to the sea in the bitter cold winter to bathe herself on more than one occasion. Kaede frowned, wondering if the obsessive purification rites were in fact now done, for her sister's sake.

_Sister Kikyo has been punishing herself._

Kaede realized, keeping her thoughts to herself as she followed her down the path. She noticed her sister coming to a stop not much longer after, but they hadn't come upon a shrine or stone buddha as far as Kaede could see, as she looked back, and saw the path to the village could now not be discerned beneath the greenery all around them, as the sheer depth of the woods became evident to Kaede. She glanced back quickly, and saw that Kikyo had moved on up ahead. She shivered slightly in trepidation, running up behind Kikyo and nearly plowing her over.

 _"Shh! Kaede, walk more carefully!"_ Kikyo hissed, holding her back with one hand. Kaede couldn't help it, she wasn't used to walking in geta sandals, with tori socks. This was something new to her, but supposedly it would help her balance, and make her quicker on her feet, according to Kikyo. But Kaede would rather walk barefoot than wear the clunky clogs. Kaede was taken out of her silent introspection as Kikyo slowly walked into the forest, and they lost the path. Kaede looked around anxiously as she saw the broken down wooden structure that Kikyo was headed towards. The old temple was so run down and destitute, that Kaede was puzzled as to why Kikyo would bother coming here. She watched as Kikyo bowed, and followed her instruction, walking off to the side to cleanse their hands with the temizuya water, nothing but rainwater that had collected through holes in the small pagoda roof.

They then came up, and paused at the altar. Kikyo reached up and rang the cobwebs from the ancient bell, making Kaede shiver as it made a haunting toll, which caused finches to fly out of their nests under the overhang, chirping incessantly.

"Sister, can we please turn back?" Kaede whimpered, tugging on her sleeve as Kikyo knelt to say a prayer, her head bowed, and hands folded together. She didn't answer. Kaede followed her lead and said a prayer.

_Thank you for the village's prosperity this year after the incident. I thank you for keeping my eye free from infection._

Kaede thought silently to the Kami, and wondered what Kikyo prayed for, or what she was thankful for as she had watched her sister close her eyes, her long lashes glossy over ruddy red cheeks grown raw from wiping beneath her eyes. Kaede left a small flower plucked from the ground, then clapped her hands as they concluded the ritual. Kaede then watched as Kikyo stood, and pulled the weeds and vines away from the broken offering table, and set an incense stick there, and lit it as nourishment for Buddha, bowing once more to her waist, as Kaede watched through her peripheral, she too bowed.

 **"Stay** here, Kaede. I'll be right back." Kikyo said softly, and the girl nodded eagerly, the sooner they could leave, the better. Kikyo walked into the dark temple, and looked all around the structure, admiring the way sunbeams of light flooded in through holes in the ceiling, paper moths caught in the rays as her presence stirred up the woodland denizens inside, as termites and wood moths made quick work of the structure, which was so dry and decayed now since she had last visited, that the outer walls were bloated outward, and some planks were curled inward from water warping it. Some support beams had snapped completely in half, during a collapse longer than a century ago. Yet, somehow the majority of it still stood, if rather lopsided. This temple had seen its time, it's purpose long gone. Once, it had been a refuge from the rain for two wandering folk, but now any sign of their time there had washed away. For just a moment, Kikyo's heart had jumped in her chest upon seeing it, and for whatever reason, her body trembled with her anticipation; as if hoping he would be there, waiting for her.

Those old memories still lingered on, as Kikyo stared up at the rafters, and smiled just slightly, remembering how he lifted her up to retrieve the fat little sparrows that she'd shot, and how carefree she had felt back then, too innocent. She had been naïve, Kikyo realized. Too trusting. What insanity had led her to believe that taking off with that bandit would lead to anything besides destruction? Kikyo turned away without a word, and they left.

"Sister, you never answered me, why did we come to this shrine? Do you think Buddha resides in such a run-down place, or does he only come to the shrines that are well-taken care of-"

 **"Kaede!"** Kikyo snapped, whirling back angrily. Kaede froze stiff in fear of her sister, fearing just how badly it would hurt to be struck with one of her powerful hands. She gulped, then bowed her head.

"I'm sorry. I asked too many questions." She said balefully, flinching slightly at Kikyo's clenched fist. Kikyo saw this, and lowered her hand to her side, taking a deep breath in and out to calm herself. She then turned, and continued walking, Kaede following dutifully behind.

"...Do you **truly** wish to know?" Kikyo said solemnly, and Kaede nodded.

"Only if.. Sister Kikyo doesn't strike me for asking." Kaede said meekly, and Kikyo stopped. _"Oh...no,_ I wouldn't _hurt_ you, sister." She said, her eyes softening sadly. She took Kaede's hand, patting it reassuringly, and they walked as she began to tell her story.

"Many people believe that temple is haunted... I know for a fact, that evil lurks within the grounds of it, but when I was your age, I saw to it that it was purified." She said softly, and Kaede blinked, looking up expectantly.

"You know how we rebuild broken homes for Buddha, yes... You _would_ be correct in saying that he may not wish to rest in such a place. Once, we all tried to fix it. Mother, and the other shrine maidens." Kikyo practically whispered, and Kaede had to listen closely, her face paling.

"Whenever someone would attempt to repair it, they would somehow worsen it. Once, I hammered an iron nail into it, and the nail split _right **down**_ the middle. Other times, the new wood wouldn't hold, it would quickly rot, grow mold, or the nails would rust right out of it. It quickly became a lost cause..." Kikyo sighed, looking back at Kaede to reassure her, slightly squeezing her hand.

"The monks that lived here long ago lost their lives to the yokai in these woods. They became weakened by their powerful demonic aura, and were no longer able to have control over them. After they were possessed, any villagers that came to the shrine from then on, were never to be seen again."

"So _that's_ why it gives me the creeps." Kaede confessed, shivering slightly.

"Yes. These woods are all infused with their lingering demonic energy. That's why, when we at last realized that there was malignant miasma infecting the temple, we realized that we must seek out it's source, and **destroy** it. Although, it was more a complex exorcism than they first thought." Kikyo said softly, and began walking through the woods, Kaede hesitating, then following closely behind her as Kikyo swept aside the tree branches, and held them back for Kaede to pass through, dipping her head, then coming out and seeing where Kikyo was taking her.

"Our mother and the other Shrine maidens were sure that they could defeat the possessed priests. So, they left, and went directly into their nest. I was not allowed to go with them... Myself, and Oba-San stayed in the village while they went." Kikyo said lowly, and took Kaede's hand, pulling her with her to look up at the forest canopy, where when they did, Kaede gasped. Tattered spiderwebs hung down in heavy strands, from which skeletons dangled, the tendrils they were tangled in dancing on the soft, fluttering wind.

"Thus, they were led... to their **death."**

 _"No! This is where-!"_ Kaede gasped, crawling back, but Kikyo gripped her by her long ponytail, holding her still. Kaede's legs attempted to move, but only dug her sandals deep into the mud.

"Kaede. **Listen,** I **am not** trying to frighten you! This is our first mission, dear sister." Kikyo said, holding her sister steady, as Kaede let go of her tension, carefully looking back, as Kikyo combed her fingers through her hair gently, and settled one hand onto her shoulder comfortingly.

"Our **mission...?"**

"Correct. Do you think you are strong enough?" Kikyo whispered, offering up her bow to her. Kaede's eye glistened with her reverence, and she nodded.

"I'm **ready."** Kaede said steadily, her voice calming most of its trembling.

"Good, now. Let's go." Kikyo said softly with encouragement, and Kaede placed her hand on the bow, allowing herself to be pulled up with it. They came out into the clearing, beneath the shadows of the webs, and began walking carefully down the downward path.

"Tell me more of the story, please? What else do you know of this place?" Kaede said; feigning braveness. Kikyo hummed, perusing how to begin, and Kaede listened.

"Okay then... well, I was your age at the time, you were only a small child, so the Oba-San took care of you, and I was still able to finish my training with the kannushi here at the time. It was only myself, and Tsubaki that came here... "

 _"Tsubaki?_ You mean the **Dark** Priestess?" Kaede gasped, and Kikyo smiled bitterly back at her.

"Yes... That's what she's called now, but back then, we were the best of friends. One might say, inseparable, but that wasn't so, after what occurred in this cave, then when the sacred jewel was entrusted to my care, and **not** hers..." She whispered, then grabbed onto an overhanging branch, and aided them both to see what was at the bottom of the dark abyss.

"A cave..." Kaede said softly, and they continued to make their way down into the darkness, not even a tiny fleck of sunlight could break through the thick spider webs hanging from the canopy. Small spiders scattered as Kikyo stepped forth, and lit up her hand with a purple luminescence. Kaede stared at her sister's hand in fascination, as Kikyo used it to melt away the large cobweb blocking off the entrance to the cave, and scare off the fat brown spiders with long legs that had been nesting there. They scurried away with a grotesque chattering, that made Kaede quiver in disgust.

"Yes, this is the very same cave... Tsubaki and I ventured here, and we together slayed the spider demons... But, it was _Tsubaki_ who was not strong enough to slay the Spider Queen, and she was bitten, cursed thereafter. Once I had slain the witch, and the white baboon, this place was emptied of its inhabitants."

Kikyo confirmed as she stepped inside, and moved her glowing hand back and forth slowly to see what was in the darkness, the pure lilac light hitting off the walls, and making more spiders scatter into the cracks.

Kaede shuddered, pulling her arms to her chest, and shivering as she followed her sister inside, looking around herself warily.

"Tis' long been called Onigumo's cave... Long before I **ever** knew a man with such a name." Kikyo uttered hollowly, her features paling as she turned slowly to see the reason why. Spiders infested everything, no matter where they looked, the arachnids dangled from strings, or scattered from the light Kikyo was waving slowly back and forth to ward them away as they walked.

Kaede watched this, and agreed; it was a suitable name for the cave infested by Onigumo spiders, but not for the man she had met before. She still wondered when that man would return, and see that Kikyo had indeed agreed to his offer. As far as Kaede knew, Kikyo had never explicitly said no to him, but instead, the circumstances had already made her choice for her, and InuYasha had been too scorned to return to her to take her original offer. So now, they were alone.

"Kaede, watch carefully. Can you ward them away?" Kikyo said, and took her hand, attempting to evoke a power like her own from her little sister. Kaede whimpered softly as Kikyo took both her hands, cupping them with a light that was pure, yet hot; and made her squint her eye away from the light. The warmth was enough to linger in her veins, as Kikyo pulled away, and Kaede looked at her own hands, seeing tiny sparkles of light surrounding them, burning the webs away as they continued deeper into the cave.

The initial low tunnel they had ventured into became wider, and more like a chasm as Kaede observed her surroundings with wide eyes, seeing large black jugs of dusty pottery, maybe once filled with sake, and various items that suggested this was once a place where people had resided; and everywhere they looked there were man sized nests, stringy and caked with dust.

"This is the place. Once, the corrupted priests nested here, but now as you can see, they're all dead, we did away with them." Kikyo motioned with one hand, and Kaede had to hold back her terrified shriek where she at last saw where in fact they had been interred, in the center of the massive cavern, there was a pit, full of mangled remains, now mummified. They were so dry and dusty from time that the true number of them was indistinguishable; but it was clear that these things were once men, when Kaede saw a curled hand clinging to the wall of the pit, where he had made a futile effort to scrape his way out.

As Kaede looked, she could see the outline of mandibles on their mouths, and the skulls of the creatures all had an unnatural number of eye cavities.

"Get a good look at them. That's what happens when a human allows themselves to be corrupted by demons." Kikyo said, slightly squatting at the lip of the pit, before notching an arrow, and pointing it down below. The arrow made a ball of light at it's head, and pierced the darkness, then made the remains disintegrate. At the bottom, the arrow seemed to have struck solid soil, and the light slowly faded where it had landed, the cavern now purified.

"It's better to be rid of such things than to let them remain, Kaede. They will go on now to Nirvana and live on in peace." Kikyo said with a smile, and Kaede nodded, feeling a sense of relief, as now the air seemed slightly purer, and a small amount of light shone down from an opening at the very top of the cave ceiling.

"Let's keep moving." Kikyo said, and Kaede nodded obediently, following beside her with each confident stride.

**~o•O•o~**

_"Iron Reaver, **Soul** Stealer!"_ InuYasha shouted as he cut down a massive demon with his claws, raking down it's putrid body as it splashed out blood and bile, until it fell apart into two halves, dead. InuYasha flicked the gore off his wrist, then scowled down at his victim.

 **"Weak!** You shouldn't have come after me!" He snarled, then rifled through the sack at the demon's side, finding some dried bones and meat. He licked his lips eagerly, and devoured them quickly as if he hadn't eaten in days, then his golden eyes expanded widely with his interest, as he pulled out something curious.

"What's _this?"_ He sniffs, and lifts up a small blue amulet. Some small speck bounced off his shoulder, and made his ear twitch with annoyance.

"Leave it **alone!** It's malevolent, whatever it is, don't go rifling through a demon's pocket, _InuYasha!"_

_"Human, or be it, youkai leave it be, or else, calamity is sure to come to you... But, If ye wish for your form to stay true, place the amulet around thee neck, at the moment that the time comes..."_

A voice murmurs, and InuYasha quickly drops the amulet as if it were filthy, turning around, and kicking dirt over it like a dog.

"There! See, I don't **want** it! Now, get outta here, Myoga!" InuYasha snarls, and finds the pesky flea on his neck, pinching him between two fingers cruelly.

 _ **"Ow! Ow! Wait,** Master InuYasha! Please, **listen** to me! If it's power you want, you **must** find the sword that your father entrusted to you! The **Tets-"**_ The flea begins, but he's unceremoniously flicked off a sharp fingernail, still screaming.

InuYasha then pauses, and looks back for a second, and grabs the blue jewel out of the dirt, and takes off running hastily like he had just stolen a nobleman's treasure, hopping from tree to tree, his silver hair flying out from behind him as he practically flew just by jumping.

_Sorry Myoga, I just don't see how some rusty old sword can help me. I need to become a **full** demon again!_

He thought to himself silently, then continued his journey. He had been travelling all over the countryside finding worthy opponents, honing his strength, and trying to find whatever information he could from said demons before destroying them. So far, all they had confirmed for him was that he needed to find the sacred jewel, but others had even spoken of witches that could help him make the change, or blood rituals... What began as an angry demon killing spree to release his anger with Kikyo and Onigumo, had quickly become an obsession.

InuYasha sighed, at last coming to a stop in an area that was thick with heavy white cobwebs, and spiders creeping in every corner; but he felt certain that there weren't any more spider head demons here anymore, in fact; the air smelled pure, and it was incredibly peaceful as he walked down the path into the cave. It was incredibly quiet, and soon, the sun would set. As he walked, the scent he picked up was so sweet, and comforting that he began to feel sleepy, but he shook his head and snapped awake, the blue trinket in his pocket glowing in the gathering darkness. He would not sleep tonight, not once the moonless night took full effect.

**~o•O•o~**

As night fell, a soft crackling fire was at the center of a slew of bandits, men all around the fire were resting, or passed out drunk after dining, after celebrating their victory raiding a nearby village. Women sobbed, or yelped out in pain as they were pawed at, the men laughing off their complaints of harassment.

A shadow moved from in the darkness, where a man had been leaning up against a far tree, watching, smirking slightly as he came out from the cover of leaves, and out into the open. The bandit leader, Rasetsu, sat cross legged by the fire, drinking a jug of sake with some of his men, talking of their past battles, and their victories. A soft clapping sound can be heard, as the man in the distance is clapping his hands, smiling towards him.

"Congratulations, great Leader Rasetsu. You truly are formidable. If only I were as _strong,_ and _brave_ as you.."

The man says as he creeps out of the darkness, and comes up to the fire. Rasetsu pauses his story telling, and the other bandits hop to their feet; wary of this new visitor.

 _"Get back, villager! This ain't no place for the likes of **you!"**_ A bandit man threatened, and the strange man raised his hands as if to show he was unarmed, kneeling down on the ground, his palms flat on the earth.

"I simply wish to share a drink, and listen to a few stories if that's ok with you. I am a nomad, I have no village. My name is Onigumo. I implore you, search me up and down and you won't find nary a coin, nor weapon on my body." He said calmly, and the bandit nudged at his back with his foot for him to stand.

"Should we believe him, boss?" The bandit questioned, and Rasetsu thought about it for a moment, narrowing his eyes carefully on Onigumo as if he were slightly suspicious, then he brushed the thought away.

"Fine, check him over to make sure he's telling the truth." He grumbled, irritated that his tale had been interrupted, watching from one eye as the man removed the top layer of his kimono, and bared a toned chest and back to them, which bared a dark spider mark pattern on it.

"It seems to be he's unarmed, boss." The bandit said, and Rasetsu nodded.

"Come, Onigumo was it? Take a seat." He said, motioning to one of his men to move out of the way so Onigumo could sit across from him.

"I thank you. I've been told that you are great warriors. I always wanted to join a group like yours, to travel the country and defend our land." He said, feigning naïvety, and all the men surrounding him laughed heartily.

"Oh, yeah? That's one _heck_ of a dream. Where do you hail from, stranger?"

"Hmm, _far_ from here. I came down from the mountains, that's where my people, the Ainu, made their homeland in the cold, northmost point of Honshū Island. I traveled a long distance here to finally see Edo, and see if I could find one of these troupes to join, and test my mettle with the likes of those who had seen real battle." Onigumo explained, and it was in fact, not a lie, but that was many years ago, and he had long since seen battle.

"Ah, a weary traveler, then? Have some sake to warm your belly, and tell us more of your adventures here." Rasetsu nodded, and Onigumo was passed a jug. He poured it back to seem as if he were drinking it eagerly, making the other man laugh, but he kept his mouth shut, only taking in a small helping before speaking once again.

"Sure, I _could_ tell you more of them, but I'd _much rather_ just be a silent observer. I'm certain that any yarns I have to spin, are not nearly as fascinating as yours." Onigumo said humbly, sitting back on his hands.

"Tell us what that spider mark is on your back! How **did** you get that?" A man asked, and Onigumo's face was cast with darkness as he lowered his head and chuckled.

"Ah, well.. Perhaps I was born with it, its origins are **unknown."** He said and pushed his long hair over it, wanting to conceal it.

"No, no, now don't be a _liar_ with us! We took you in, let you sit by the hot fire, warm your belly with a strong drink! Tell us how you **truly** got the mark." Rasetsu said steadily, grinning, and Onigumo knew that the boss of these ill refuted men was not taking no for an answer.

"It's such a long story. But I suppose I could tell it, for you are so gracious to me. When I was just a young boy, I had like I said, travelled a very long journey down from the mountains, down to the warmer climate here. My family was very poor, and over the long winter, I had watched my mother and father suffer and slowly succumb to famine and sickness as the cold seeped in deep to their bones. I knew that I couldn't stay there, and be doomed like them. So, I set off, a child of only twelve years. My journey was tough, and I learned the hard way that to survive in the wild lands, one must be _sneakier_ than a youkai, if they can't be stronger. I became quiet and quick as a stalking black cat. I could steal the bone out from underneath a bloodhound's snout.

Stealing brought me many rewards, shiny trinkets, things that I treasured and came to adore. Through this, I came to know much of Youkai lore. When the beasts believe all other things are asleep, they come out at night to frolic. Great feasts, demon's dancing, much hedonism and violence. I would at times don the fur of a snow baboon, and wear such a thing to partake in these parties." He said, and took a good swig of sake, this time not pretending.

 **"** _Demon_ **_parties!_** He's _crazy."_ One man said, and the others laughed.

"Is that where they branded you?" Another said, and he shook his head.

"No, it wasn't there. I did attend these things, but I suppose a child my age should not be partaking of those terrible pleasures with demon wenches, and drinking until my small belly was filled, but I was so young then... Eventually, the demons did come to find that I was human, and they beat me mercilessly. They rolled me up in a mat, then beat over it with mallets and sticks, then stabbed me, before tossing me over a cliff, into the abyss. It was in the dark forest, where none of these demons only seeking their fill of nightly pleasures resided. I was in the forest of _killing things._

When I awoke, I was being tended to by a group of holy men. Somewhere in that deep ravine, they had found me nearly dead, and in a comatose state. While I was in that deathly state, demons spoke to me all through the endless night. Spider demons purred to me; _we shall make you strong once again._ They bargained and begged, but my sleep was deep like death. Once awake, I assumed that it had all been just terrible nightmares. When I opened my eyes, my once blue-green eyes had become the blood red you see now today. Their explanation for this, was that the blunt trauma I suffered to my head caused the blood to hemorrhage into my eyes. But, I know it wasn't that. It was night after night, staring into those glowing red spider eyes, that mine became accustomed to the color as well.

The monks tending to me assured me, that they were the _protectors_ of the forest, and that the spider demons were _harmless,_ they were not flesh eaters.

Being an impressionable young boy, I believed them. They shaved my head, clothed me in their garments, and brought me back to good health. I even learned self-defense, and had some training with a small sword that I carried on me at all times. They taught me their ways, and I listened, even though I had my **own** way, I was led to assume that _their_ way was the _right_ way." He sighed, looking down at his hands in his lap.

_"Bah, ain't no religious men here!"_

"So, are you still a monk, then?" A man questioned, and Onigumo shook his head.

"I cannot in good conscience be a religious man **ever** again. Not after what I witnessed. One by one, they... _changed._ I'm not sure if they also had the spiders speaking in their dreams, but as far as I know, they may have lied to me to lead me to believe we lived a life of comfort. But that wasn't so, the temple we had stayed in, though beautiful, quickly became rotten. The monks, as well, grew rancid to their core, when at night they would drink themselves into that nightmare state, and allow the spider demons to crawl all over them, giving them unnatural pleasure; mating our species with their own.

Anyone that came from the nearby village would be devoured instantly. I had grown accustomed to hiding, up high in the trees where they couldn't find me, or tucked away in some little burrow. I reverted back to my old ways, but still I could not escape them, so I pretended I was one of them. I assimilated, and became such a spider loving child, that they began to name me Onigumo. But, that wasn't my name. Before that, I **had** a name. But the spider venom did things to my brain, I can no longer remember what my parents had called me. I was Spider Boy. No matter where I went, I _assimilated._

So when the monks were truly, deeply reverted, they came to love sleeping deep in a nearby cave, spinning webs, and living in relative peace, eating whatever animal, or lost soul wandered in. It wasn't until... These Shrine Maidens came along. I had never seen the likes of them, I thought that only _men_ could serve Buddha. But no, these were the wives of him, wearing red and white." Onigumo sighed shakily, growing weary from telling the tale that he had not told a soul in ages, not even Kikyo. But, he could never tell her. She would be disgusted to know the true him.

"Did the miko get eaten, too?" A man asked, and as he looked around, he realized that he had all the men fully captivated by his story, even the ones who had taken village women sat, and listened. It seemed, all but Rasetsu were mesmerized by the web he was spinning.

"I don't believe it, you _lived_ among the spider head monks, but you **never** came to eat human flesh? How do we know you weren't just drunk along with the rest of them, with spiders laying eggs in your belly, talking in your head?" Rasetsu sneered, and Onigumo humphed back at him.

"I'm not half a man. I never became a half demon, because I didn't **let** the spider witch bite me. All spiders, insects, have some type of mother queen. The Spider Witch Queen, Marasakaji. She was an ordinary woman once, it seemed, but she had somehow become one with these demons. I was the one she wanted the most of all of them, but on the moonless night when she was to have me, she had stung me in the back and filled me with paralyzing venom, and wrapped me up tight in a cocoon. Unfortunately, the miko were caught at night in an ambush, under the cover of darkness all they would have seen were the glowing red eyes before they were overtaken.

That is when I knew, I must be _totally_ faithless. But then, it seemed that before the miko were taken, their arrows seemed to have _wounded_ Marasakaji. She languished on, barely feeding, leaving me inside that wretched cocoon until she was nearly starved. **Days** later, there was another noise. Someone had entered the cave, seeking vengeance. Two small, helpless girls. Too pure for this world, too precious. _How delightful it would be to sink her fangs in, and fill them with her poison,_ Marasakaji said as she grinned, licking her venomous fangs. I would not allow it. In order to recover my strength, I commanded the spiders to bring me food to eat. They brought me berries, beads of water, but it was enough to fill my stomach and clear my mind from the venom, and I had the strength to at last cut through the webbing with my blade, and I ducked away while Marasakaji was building a new web to take the girls with.

It was **amazing,** watching them kill the priests I was so tormented by with light, purifying light, piercing them with holy arrows, and stiffening their bodies with sutras. They fought through droves of Onigumo, turning them to smoke with their little sutra papers, while I clung to the roof watching, afraid to talk to them. I wasn't like a **normal** human.

Marasakaji found them, but even at her weakened state, she was able to overwhelm the two. The one named Tsubaki placed a holy sutra on Marasakaji, and it burned off of her, and she cursed the child, and said _, "If you are not the chosen one, you shall be as lowly as a wretched, leg-less snake, after the day you have lost, you will slither with a Snake around your neck at all times, to remind you of it's venom."_

And the poor child, Tsubaki was cursed. But, as the girl was suffering from the curse, I saw how Kikyo took her chance, and struck the Spider Queen, purifying her with light, but it was too late for the other girl. Then, that's when Kikyo _spotted_ me..."

"So, **when did** you get the mark?" Rasetsu said, before sucking down his jug of sake. Onigumo chuckled bitterly.

"When Kikyo saw me, I was wearing the robe of the baboon. She assumed I was a youkai, and threw a purifying sutra at me. The evil and malice that had been bred in the darkness, the venom that had wormed its way inside my brain, was burned away. My malcontent was expelled from my back, where the spider mark remains. After purifying me, she assumed me dead, and left. And though she had forced the darkness out of me, I think some still lingered, but I never returned to that cave again." Onigumo finished, then tilted his head back, drinking down the sake.

"Onigumo, you escaped the spider's lair, still a human man, but you still go by that terrible name?" A woman asked, from where she was lying in the grass against the bare chest of a bandit.

Onigumo nodded.

"That kind of name... breeds fear in the human subconscious, men fear that I will one day bite them at night while they are sleeping, and slip away unseen." He said softly, and set down his sake jug, empty.

Rasetsu did the same, and challenged him with his eyes.

"Dark forests, witch queens, and talking spiders, do you **truly** believe me for a fool?" He spat out, standing quickly. Onigumo hid his eyes in his bangs deceptively, a small smile curling up the corners of his lips.

"Perhaps. How _else_ could I have your belief in me?" Onigumo said slyly, and pulled from his waist, the baboon mask. The bandits backed away in fear, some gasping, others screaming.

 _"Kukukuku..._ If I cannot **make** you believe in me, then perhaps, you can _prove_ it yourself. Rasetsu, I wish to make a bet with you." Onigumo said, and offered him the mask, the bandit leader flinching from the eyeless thing staring up at him.

"Wear this mask as you go into the dark forest, and I promise you, **no** youkai will harm you. The demons...they call me, Naraku. I am their puppet master. All throughout this land, youkai fear the name Onigumo, they will not even _speak_ it, so they refer to me only as **Hell.** I wish for you to spend one night in the cave, and if you come out of it unscathed, then we will know that my stories are true. If you go there, and you are in any way harmed, then my name is tarnished and I am nothing but a liar. It's your choice, Rasetsu. Do you **take** it, or **leave** it?"

A silence fell over all of the men in the encampment, as Rasetsu carefully took the mask, and slid it over his head.

"I'll _prove_ that you are only a homeless nomad, Onigumo. You do not even **have** a name. You were _weak_ to not protect the priestesses when they needed you, to instead _hide_ in the darkness as they were being slaughtered, to me that is a sign of fear. Don't worry for me, I can protect myself against the spiders. It is **yourself** you should worry for, because when I come back, I will show you that your mask means _nothing,_ and that you; Naraku, are **nothing."**

**~o•O•o~**

There was a soft giggling as Kikyo and Kaede found a place to bed down for the night. Deep in the cave, there was a small area lined with soft white pelts. After shaking the dust out of them, the girls rested comfortably on the fur, talking quietly before a roaring little fire.

 _"Shh,_ Kaede! It's time for bed!"

"But sister, I'm not sleepy yet! Tell me a happy story!" Kaede giggled, kicking her bare feet back and forth as she laid on the warm pelts, Kikyo resting on her side, her cheek propped up on one hand.

"A happy story...?" She mused, frowning as Kaede looked on expectantly, her one eye sparkling with whimsy.

"My happiest times are spent with you, that's all I have to tell." Kikyo said, and closed her eyes, resting a moment.

"No, tell me about your _secret_ **love** affair! Did you and Onigumo _kiss?_ How come you and him never made a baby, isn't that why InuYasha was mad, because he wanted to lay iwith you first?" Kaede blurted out, and Kikyo's eyes flew open angrily.

 **"Kaede!"** She reprimanded sharply, then sat up quickly, pulling her sister up with her. "Do not speak of such things _ever_ again! Where did you **hear** such terrible things?!" Kikyo hissed, clenching her fists. Kaede flinched and made herself seem small under her elder sister's shadow.

"The village women, they _whisper_ it! I **swear** it, **that's** where I heard everything!" She said meekly, and Kikyo released her, huffing.

"You should know not to listen to rumours, haven't you ever heard that gossiping is demons whispering?" She said, and Kaede nodded.

"I'm sorry, I just... I liked when you were friends with that Onigumo man, he gave me this patch for my eye, and he also helped you fight off the demons, don't you remember?" Kaede said gently, and Kikyo nodded.

"Yes, that he did. But, he was also a bandit, and a deceptive man."

"Yet, he seemed to be kind to you. How come you never _told_ him that you chose not to be with InuYasha?" Kaede said very carefully, and Kikyo clutched at the jewel over her chest.

"It was not my choice. InuYasha never gave me the chance to explain. Little sister, this is why we should be devout as mikos. Don't you see that playing with the demon that is man only brought destruction, and sadness?" Kikyo said brokenly, tears filling the waterline of her dark chocolate eyes.

"But, sister... I wish for you to be happy. If you were to give the jewel to the priest, could you not go and find the man you were most happy with?" Kaede said with conviction, grasping at Kikyo's sleeve.

"No, I... I _cannot_ leave my station. And Onigumo, he... He will never return for me. He had his use of me, and now he's **gone,** and we shall leave it at that. It's time for you to go to bed, and _forget_ that we ever talked about these things." Kikyo said sternly, and laid her hand on Kaede's shoulder to have her lay down. Then, she covered her with a baboon fur, and let her rest, as she came out the back entrance of the cave, and stared up at the moonless sky.

It was there, in the darkness that she at last shed tears from her eyes, falling to her knees, and sobbing mournfully for everything she had lost.

_Onigumo..._

_"Kikyo."_ A soft voice said, and she turned her head to hear it, gulping down her sobs, as her tear-filled eyes searched for the voice in the silent, black of night.

Then, there was a soft rustling, and her eyes caught a soft gleam in the dark, of shiny black hair, and luminous blue eyes.

She gasped, stepping back, and he came forward, grabbing her hand before she could fall back into the cave.

"Y-You're human...once again." Kikyo said timidly, and InuYasha nodded.

"Yes. It's the night of the new moon. What are you **doing** out here...?" He said with warning, releasing her hand. Kikyo wiped at her eyes, and glanced back.

"Kaede is inside the cave sleeping. She is undergoing her training to be a shrine priestess." She whispered, and InuYasha nodded, turning away, and going down the cobblestone path, where wispy blades of grass swayed around them, and tall maple trees cast shadows across their faces as they carefully made their way down the steps.

"You know, if you weren't a priestess I would say it's not safe for you out here, but...You **are** still a priestess?" InuYasha asked, and Kikyo nodded.

"Yes. I chose to stay a shrine maiden."

"Oh. Then, you _never...?"_ He began to ask, glancing down at her surreptitiously for a second. Kikyo winced in pain at the look he gave her, before turning back quickly.

"No..." She said hollowly, knowing what he referred to without being told. She would never reveal to anyone what she had done, taking the cold water baths for months, she had immersed her lower half to ensure that if she did become pregnant, it wouldn't take. But, it hadn't seemed to have been the case, luckily, she was still considered somewhat chaste at least, her womb was unmarked.

"We shouldn't go too far from the cave. My arrows are back there, and you.."

"I know. I'm helpless. That's funny, **now** you get it, when before you never did." InuYasha said icily, spinning on his heel to face her.

"I am weak as a human, and as a human, I can't protect you! I just wish you could love me, for **me!** As a half-demon." He said with finality, and Kikyo flinched as if she had been slapped in the face.

"That's why...? You could never give me an answer. You said before, you did not know what your intentions _were...InuYasha...I_ am eternally sorry, I have hurt you. " Kikyo said tenderly, her tears returning as she clutched one hand to her chest. InuYasha hesitated for a moment, gazing at her with awestruck eyes, that softened upon seeing her cry.

"I never **had** bad intentions, Kikyo. But, as a half-demon, I could still never be **good** enough for you... You couldn't love me back, instead you tore my heart apart when you left... You **idiot!"** He snapped; still not fazed by her innocent façade, he had thought long and hard on her choices, and he was finding it hard to make his own heart forgive the hurtful things she did. Kikyo cringed back, her tears growing spiteful.

"Yes, I am an idiot. I was _foolish,_ to ever think that I could be like any other ordinary woman...But, you never gave me that moment's peace. With you, we were _always_ fighting demons! Onigumo gave me that fantasy which I envied, and look where it got us? I shall **die** a spinstress." She said bitterly, stepping back from him, but InuYasha pulled him to her tightly, wrapping his arms around her securely.

 _"No, Kikyo!"_ He said achingly, digging his blunt fingertips into her back, and pulling her to his body tightly. Kikyo made a shuddering sigh, her hands clinging to his back as she took comfort in his warm embrace, that when he was a half demon, she had never felt, for fear he would scratch her.

"I could... I- c-could give you what you wanted! I have this... necklace." He whispered, and pulled back slightly to show her what was in his pocket. He pulled out the blue amulet, and placed it in her palms, Kikyo staring down at the artifact in wonder. The jewel made blue reflects across her face as she gazed at it in wonder, then he pulled her face back up to see her, eye to eye.

"If I were to place it on my neck, it would hold my human form for as long as wanted... I could stay this way, just for a while, until... " He whispered softly, not wanting to say what it truly was.

"Until old age has ended my life, the necklace would allow you the loophole you needed to stay a half-demon." Kikyo stated, emotionless.

"No! It's to make you **happy!** I can live with you as a man and woman, don't you **get** it? We can have what you always _dreamed of!_ And if danger comes, I'll just take **off** the necklace! It's a solution to all our problems!" InuYasha said gladly, closing her hands over the necklace, cradling them warmly with his.

"And the jewel, you can do whatever you want with it, Kikyo! We don't _need_ it." He said, almost gleefully; his blue eyes sparkling with his whimsy.

"InuYasha...you are so youthful, so very charming and handsome. Full of life, and raw energy. How I would love to share in that feeling, if only I could for _just_ a moment."

Kikyo smiled back at him, reaching out to stroke his face with her cold fingertips. Her eyes slowly closed, and she pulled him in, giving him a gentle kiss. InuYasha inhaled sharply from her touch, and pulled her tight to him, the heat of him surrounding her, as his tongue enveloped hers for a moment, but only coldness remained on her lips, a heavy rock weighing down her belly. InuYasha noticed the lack of life in her kiss, and pulled back quickly, staring down at her in confusion, as her sweetness still lingered on his lips.

"Yes, InuYasha. It _would_ have been a wonderful life for us. I know it, one day, you shall make a young girl **very** happy. But, I am not that girl anymore. I have changed, inside my heart is bitter. It's full of my own darkness, I am not the Kikyo you loved once before. If it were not for my heart beating, I would be a corpse, for how truly _dead_ I feel inside..." She said slowly, and shakily, before turning away, and heading towards the cave.

"Use that necklace to make yourself a full demon, InuYasha. Be happy, **without** me." She sighed, and InuYasha stared as the red and white figure disappeared into the darkness. He placed one hand on his chest, over his heart, and furrowed his eyebrows. His heart ached so badly, he clutched at the muscle over it tightly, gritting his teeth with anger.

"Onigumo. You did this. I'll kill him, if it's the only thing I can do for you, Kikyo. I have to release you from this **pain."** He whispered in a strangled cry, and stared down at the necklace in his fist; watching how the beautiful charm glinted.

" _Take the chance, when you are in your desired form. Then you shall stay in such flesh, until you remove the necklace.."_ The voice whispered to him once again, and he nodded.

"Yes."


End file.
